"The Commercial Motor" Freight Exchange.
Page 23
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The Problem of Returned Empties.
"Dear Sir or Madam,—
" It may not be realised by a large number of our customers that our low price for Table Waters is largely accounted for by our unique and original method of distribution and delivery. Now that all the sound horses in the country and motorvans are wanted and commandeered by the Government, it makes it impossible for us to supply our Table Watet s it any distance from our various factories at the pr ice we have hitherto charged except at a loss. We have already had the whole of our horses at one of our factories commandeered, and a very large proportion from others, also half of our motorvans. The cost of all our row materials has practically doubled, and owing to the tendency on the part of a large number of customers to : to :k up quantities of syphons, it was deemed necessary soon after the on/break of war to somewhat advance our usual low pr: c list charges,
" The Directors having now given this matter their further consideration, and notwithstanding all this, as we have been able to reorganize our delivery, have decided to charge the usual prices for the present, as they are most anxious to meet our customers in a fair trading spirit so far as they can consistently do so without trading at a loss. "If, however, as seems probable, more horses be seized by the Government, it may be absolutely necessary, at any time, to advance our price list charges.
" May we ask the kind co-operation of our customers in returning empties as quickly as possible ? We have instructed our carmen to advise customers not to take in more than a fortnight's supply, and we suggest that sufficient for a fortnight be taken, as in view of the possible further disorganisation of our deliveries we may be unable to call upon you on our usual day. We may mention that we are endeavouring to keep on all the e-nployees we can, particularly the married ones, and have arranged to pay half wages to the families dependent on all those who have been called to the Front."
The foregoing is a typical notice to customers, consequent upon the temporary disorganization of transpoi', with which we have been dealing for the past three weeks. We do not give the names of the company which sent, it out, but many readers will recognize it as corning from one of this country's largest distributing mineral-water manufacturers. The difficulties which are explained speak for themselves, and inter-related effects of delayed empties, production costs, sale prices and profits (or losses) do not need elaboration by us. We have acquainted these partieular owners of the assistance which can be placed at their disposal by their having recourse to our
Freight Exchange'
Fewer Breakages and Losses : Less Capital Necessary for the Same Turnover.
The value of commercial motors is considerable in the matter of helping various trades to reduce the difficulties which are frequently associat ed with the economical and prompt handling of returned empties. We have been specially careful, from time to time, during the nine-and-a-half years in which this journal has been published, to emphasize the fact that savings on returned-empty account are material, Not only do the packages come back direct to the factory or central depot in good condition, hut the same packages can, with a system of motor delivery, be turned over from two to six times as often per annum as with any other system of collection and delivery, thus allowing very big savings to be made on capital account in addition. The higher ratios obtain where horse-cumrail traffic is transferred to motors.
We have found, during the past three weeks, that one of the insistent demands upon our " Freight. Exchange " organization has arisen from the new difficulties by which some industries have recently been confronted in respect of returned empties. We do not go so far as to state that the railway companies of this country were deliberately leaving returned empties to take care of themselves, but we are satisfied that this branch of freight has taken second, third or even fourth place in the esteem of many goods and traffic managers. This circumstance may be inevitable. but it is none the less additionally disconcerting to the traders who find themselves with a large excess of their packing eases, crates, boxes, barrels or other packages at the wrong end of the line.
Neglected or Put Late by Goods Managers.
We have had occasion, in the course of the correspondence to which we refer, to remonstrate to a certain extent with parties who were seeking I-n avail themselves of our " Freight Exchange" organization solcly----and even selfishly—by reason of this difficulty.
Badly placed as they were, and _'aced by the probability of compulsory reduction of output by 70 per cent. or more, nearly all of our querists thought that the return-load service of the motor owner should he undertaken at " Returned Empty " rates, and this notwithstanding the fact that the railway companies had had the benefit of the outward freight on the full packages. In only two cases was it freely admitted and recognized that a fair payment per mile run should be given to the motor owner, no matter how the costs worked out in relation to the usual "Returned Empty" rates. When the situation promised to become an aggravated one, it appears that the railway companies generally were able to relax their restrictions in respect of returned empties, by reason of the completion of numerous military dispositions and movements' and further demands of this kind came to aft end. The people who had benefited by the outward freight again discharged their obligations in the reverse direction.
The Petrol-tin Famine and Its Lessons.
The vital importance of the prompt return of empties has been, we might incidentally remark, particularly emphasized during the past three weeks in respect of petrol tins. The hoarding of these tins by thousands of motorcar owners very nearly brought about a petrol-tin famine, and it undoubtedly had a great deal to do with the scare of a fortnight ago, when petrol was selling locally at all kinds of ridiculous figures between 2s. and 5s. per gallon. We also mention this fact, because some of the return loads which we have been able to provide have been loads of petrol in tins or in steel barrels.
Write to Us for a Form.
We have to put on record a slackening of inquiry during the past seven days. The railway companies have reverted almost to their normal working, and certain goods stations which were temporarily reserved for the handling of troops and stores have resumed their commercial activities. Our services remain at the disposal of our readers, to the end, as we originally announced, that waste running without loads shall be reduced to a minimum in these times of stress.
Will readers please not overlook our rule, that we do not profzeis to deal with loads below three tons? We have also to record the fact that we should be glad to have more offers of loads, seeing, that, hitherto, there has been an excess of offers. of conveyance before us, with a relative deficiency of COM plementary loads. • Owing to the pressure on our space, our standard form and notification is crowded out this week. A. copy will be sent, free by post. to any applicant