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Ford gets foothold in France
Page 69
Page 70
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BELGIUM is the only heavily industrialized country in Europe without its own truck manufacturing industry. There is, therefore, much scope for manufacturers from all over the Continent and unrivalled freedom of choice for operators. It is to the credit of British manufacturers that they have been so successful in such a heavily contested market. This article examines the activities of one of them: Ford.
Unashamedly, the company has concentrated its truck sales efforts on the distributive trades market. This is partly the result of there being no Ford models heavy enough for long-distance Belgian haulage operators who want 38Iton-gross machines. It is chastening to consider what the position would be if British regulations, like those of Belgium, permitted operation at this weight. Then, no doubt, Ford would have heavy trucks too. Engineering development is always directly linked to home market conditions. When these are more restrictive than contemporary foreign legislation, export efforts can only suffer.
Still, Ford has made a good start in the Belgian truck market with its mediumweight D-series rigids which are mainly in use with food and drink distribution organizations. Perhaps more liberal UK regulations will encourage the company to develop heavier models which would have strong potential for both home and export sales. However, in Belgium, Ford has tackled some of the largest and respected of the country's fleets. Often these have been one-make firms for quite a while and initial sales are incredibly difficult to achieve. One such fleet is Pied Boeuf, the country's second largest brewery.
Direct delivery pioneer Based in Liege, the company was founded in 1853 but did not really begin to expand until after the Second World War. It was then that it pioneered house-to-house deliveries to customers as well as expanding the traditional trade of supplying drinks to cafes, restaurants and hotels. In fact since the 1930s the fleet had been almost 100 per cent Volvo and there are even some wartime Volvo tractors still in use as depot shunters. It was in 1968 that Ford made its first approach. This was the beginning of a two-year trial of two D series rigids (then Langley-built; present deliveries are assembled in Antwerp). Now there are 29 D series vehicles in the 645-vehicle fleet.
Other vehicles include 28 Volvo F88 38-ton artic tractors; 28 Volvo drawbar units also operating at 38 tons gross; 170 drawbar trailers and semi-trailers; 43 Volkswagen light delivery vehicles and 12 Citroen 2CV vans for high-speed repair work on beer pump installations. There are also 17 Ford Transit 100 models which are used, like the VWs, for small deliveries and equipment installation and repair.
Medium-weight slot The Pied Boeuf operation is a complex one. Although still centred in Liege; the products are sold throughout Belgium. There are 16 operating centres for vehicles, including Brussels and Liege, six of which have their own maintenance facilities. Volvo • 38-ton units trunk between these depots but deliveries to customers are by medium-weight vehicles. It is here that the Fords slot in. There are 22 D0810s, which gross at 8.7 tons and have a carrying capacity of 4.8 tons which is made up of between 200 and 240 crates of bottles (up to 55 crates more than the Volvos previously specified). There are also seven D1211s which are used for carrying barrels.
Average delivery distances are relatively short, in fact radii of as little as 5km from base are not uncommon. Longer runs are within a maximum of 80km of base. The smallest distances are, not surprisingly, within Brussels where traffic congestion, the high density of delivery sites and the large size of each order all contribute to produce a time-based rather than a distance-covered vehicle-life condition which is more familiar to tractor operators than to truck men. Needless to say, M. P. Querton, the Pied Boeuf transport manager, consigned the Ford trial vehicles to the Brussels delivery routes. These are considered to be the most arduously operated because of the continual stop-start running and low-speed work involved. During the two-year trial a careful check was made on all the major components enduring the hardest wear, in particular transmission, clutch, starter and steering. Each performed satisfactorily although, inevitably, a number of teething troubles did develop. These were dealt with immediately. That the Fords impressed M. Querton goes without saying and a substantial order was placed.
No loss-leading !
Pinning down a single reason for choosing the Fords is diffiCult. As all will know, the established method of entering a new market is for a manufacturer to "adjust" his prices to produce a particularly attractive selling figure. Indeed, operators described elsewhere in this issue candidly admit that they first experimented with British vehicles for only one reason: because they are cheap. But this policy is not one slavishly followed by Ford and indeed such short-term price-cutting techniques would make little impression on fleets of the size and stature of Pied Boeuf. It is accepted in Belgium that what the brewery does today other operators do tomorrow. Perhaps heedful of its number one position in respect of new techniques, Pied Boeuf does not make changes either lightly or quickly. It takes a long time to make up its mind — a two-year trial is a luxury many operators could not afford — but once made, its decision will have long-term effects: distribution vehicles are kept for 12 years.
Another luxury which most British operators can no longer afford is taking a close hand in bodybuilding. Not only does Pied Boeuf still build 30 per cent of its own bodies (not long ago it built them all) but it produces all its own designs and drawings. Specifications for those bodies built outside are closely laid down and bodybuilders (there are four regular ones) merely build to order. One of the reasons for choosing the Ford D series chassis was its suitability for a maximum capacity body. Particularly important here was the shallow cab which allows a long body on a relatively short wheelbase, easy-to-manoeuvre chassis. The availability of 16in. wheels was also significant in keeping platform height as low as possible.
If the brewery only supplied beer to its customers the problem of designing bodies would be simple. But it does not, and more than 70 different lines have to be carried, ranging from various beers to soft drinks and mineral waters. All these are contained in both litre and half-litre bottles. Previous Pied Boeuf vehicles had fully enclosed bodies with roller shutters at each side.
The Fords have an entirely new body — considered fairly revolutionary in Belgium though not uncommon in the UK. This is built in steel with two canvas roller shutters each side. These open to give access to a series of racking units — which are removed every six months for cleaning — designed to incorporate litre bottles low down with smaller ones above. Space
immediately above the rear wheels can be used for order assembly or for carrying one or two 50-litre barrels of beer.
A step rail along the side of the vehicle allows access to the upper racks. Even so,
this racking does not extend to the roof — suprisingly constructed from alloy panels and not from glass fibre. The space above the crates is said to be too high for easy use but anyway it is required for a series of tie-bars which strengthen the roof — a feature which I am sure many British operators would not be happy with. An ingenious compartment is included in the rear for carrying a crate truck.
Maintenance was until recently carried out entirely within the company, vehicles operated at centres other than Liege being returned every six months for major overhaul. Eventually, this system became too costly as fleet size grew and, although six operating centres have their own workshops, outside contractors are now employed as well. Ford vehicles are therefore serviced in three different ways: by Pied Boeuf workshops; by Ford dealers (in Brussels); and by garages inspected and authorized by M. Querton. A feature of the brewery's set up is its reconditioning of parts. Thus components which fail in service can be replaced immediately off-the-shelf. M. Querton says that, he finds the size of his fleet enables him to receive priority from Ford in parts supply. In fact vehicles held in stock at Ford's Antwerp plant have been cannibalized to keep his trucks on the road. Although a stock of parts valued at more than BF3m is held at Liege, this is declining because of the increasing reliance on outside agents.
The Ford D series vehicles, since their initial two-year trial, have proved both reliable and economical — averaging 24 litres /100km. Admittedly, the selected specification is one of the most straightforward available — the simple four-speed gearbox is used, for example — but this record is no mean achievement.
The success of the D series trucks in the Pied Boeuf fleet — and further orders for them are on the cards — has inspired the fleet to sample other horses from the same stable. Over 60 light commercials are operated, mainly for installing and maintaining beer. pump equipment. Until a short while ago these were all VWs but now 17 Transits are in use. Once again the first vehicle purchased was subjected to an arduous 12-month trial before further orders were placed. One of the reasons for the switch was the availability of a diesel engine. The first 15 had the Perkins unit but within the past few weeks the first two vans with the Belgian-built 2.4-litre York engine have been delivered. M. Querton is hoping for better acceleration and top speed from them.
Just how many more Fords the Pied Boeuf fleet will eventually order is not clear, although the number cannot fail to be substantial. With the brewery's reputation for leading operational trends this should portend well for Ford's future truck sales (it is hoping for 1250 this year) in Belgium.