INDUSTRY: Heavy-Duty Work

The biggest forging press west of the Iron Curtain went into operation in an Aluminum Co. of America plant at Cleve land last week. Built by Mesta Machine Co. and operated by Alcoa under a lease, the giant, 50,000-ton press towers almost five stories in the air, and extends three stories underground. As it started up, along with another 35,000-ton unit (built by United Engineering & Foundry Co.) in the same plant, the Air Force marked the halfway point in its $279 million heavy-press program aimed at cutting costs and speeding production of such aircraft components as wing spars...

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