Industrial Management 149 
product is varied, the volume of the various kinds 
of work. 
“In any manufacturing plant there are certain 
things which must have fixed locations, such as walls 
and columns of buildings, doors, machines and 
equipment. The problem of plant layout is to 
arrange and locate these things which are fixed so 
that the route traveled by the material will be as 
short as possible and its progress smooth and rapid. 
The degree of accuracy with which the fixed equip- 
ment is located in relation to the flow of work deter- 
mines the degree of economy which can be secured 
in the operation of the finished plant. 
“A good layout is important to the management 
because it saves money and reduces the time required 
to manufacture goods. A proper layout increases 
the satisfaction of the workman in his job, because 
he does not have to spend a part of his day in taking 
steps or making motions that are unnecessary, 
hence he can direct more energy into his productive 
effort. 
Obviously it is more easy to secure a good layout 
when erecting a new building than when rearrang- 
ing an old one. But it is more often necessary to 
make use of an existing building and great savings 
are made possible by a careful study of this 
problem.” 
“In the process of making a silver-plated candle- 
stick it traveled by a route 4000 meters long. This 
route was shortened by relocating the equipment.