Elan not 'anti-industry'
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THANK you for your generally very fair coverage given to Elan's survey of export distribution practices among UK high technology companies (October 29 1983). But we must point out that we have never, as your headline in CM, suggested, "hit at industry."
Our survey concluded, from interviews with 769 "high tech" manufacturers, that the majority took physical distribution very seriously and considered it frequently at board level. They held lower stocks, achieved faster delivery times to customers in Europe, and were more likely to state a delivery period in their terms of contract than British industry as a whole. This is a far cry from criticising the high tech industries, which have so often pointed the way for others in exploiting the European export opportunity.
However, we were disturbed by the large minority which were impeded, in highly competitive export markets, by inherited and sometimes inefficient distribution methods. In most such cases, the managers concerned were actively seeking to improve their procedures to reach the high standards typical of their industry.
ANNE H. MARTIN Marketing Director Elan International Hounslow