Expansion for Leyland truck and bus
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• New ranges of advanced engines, gearboxes and axles as well as expansion in capacity were promised for truck and bus products when Lord Stokes this week announced a five-year investment and expansion programme for British Leyland which may involve spending a total of £400m.
In line with a swing away from quantity-produced cars to quality cars and commercial vehicles as the areas for heavy new investment, Lord Stokes said on Monday: "We are going to spend large sums on our truck and bus division, another high profit area, to maintain the worldwide Leyland reputation for ad vanced design and quality in this field." The new ranges of engines and components will be part .of a major modernization and expansion of the product range.
Discussing the future management of British Leyland, at a luncheon to mark the Corporation's fifth anniversary, Lord Stokes announced that BLMC would be moving into a new headquarters building — the 14-storey Burrnah Castrol House in Marylebone Road, London, and the top management team together with all the corporate central staffs would be moving in there this autumn. It would be known as the Leyland Building.
Lord Stokes also revealed that he had decided to give up the post of managing director of the Corporation, while retaining the title of chairman and chief executive. Mr John Barber, who was appointed finance director in 1967 (after a career including directorships with Ford and AEI), is now to become executive deputy chairman and deputy chief executive. The managing director of BLMC will be Mr George Turnbull, one time general manager of Triumph and later managing director of Austin Morris Division. Mr Barber and Mr Turner will be chairman and deputy chairman respectively of each of the operating divisions.