A Remarkable Hive of Industry M OST people realize that there
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must be a huge number of workers employed in the motor-manufacturing industry, but perhaps they fail to appreciate that many thousands are also employed on the equipment and accessory sides. For instance, the vast organization, of which Joseph Lucas, Ltd., is the parent company, comprising the Lucas, C.A.V., Rotax, P. and H. and C.A.V.-Bosch concerns, has approximately 20,000 employees.
It was therefore with great interest that we accepted an invitation to join a representative party from the British Racing Drivers' Club to inspect the Lucas factories last Friday.
In the morning the option was given of paying a•short visit to the Formans c50 Road branch works to examine the means and methods employed in the production of batteries, die-castings, bakelite mouldings, etc., or the main service depot. We selected the former.
Here, perhaps, the most striking department is that concerned with the production of steel dies for bakelite. Some of these are sunk cold, a hardened former being forced into a block of softer steel under a pressure, varying according to the size and depth of the die, up to a maximum of 3,500 tons. The materials are not heated and the finish is extraordinarily good, the die being left with a fine polish.
On the battery side, the company is producing 800,000 plates per week, this being an average of about 11 per cell. Mr. P. F, Bennett, joint managing director, speaking at the luncheon that followed, mentioned that the company produces some 20 units for the average motor vehicle. It supplies 10,000 sets per week, representing 200,000 units, or over 10,000,000 a year. If the life of each vehicle be taken as five years, this represents 50,000,000 units in service.
In the afternoon a visit was paid to the main Lucas works, and many were the comments upon the remarkably hygienic conditions of work.
Mr. Oliver Lucas, joint managing director, gave an interesting talk regarding the various products of the company, many of the smaller of which were shown on a screen by means of an epidioscope.