Leyland seeks Chinese connection
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LEYLAND TRUCKS is joining the growing band of European commercial vehicle builders seeking a share of the new market in the People's Republic of China.
The company's sales and marketing director, Gavin Barlas, is heading a 10-day sales mission to China to establish what sort of deal .may. be agreed with the Chinese, who are looking for long-term co-operation agreements with Western industrialists.
This conies as 30 Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders members this week began to assess the impact of their presence at the Auto China Show in Shanghai, which closed on Tuesday.
Leyland is keeping an open mind on what sort of deal it might strike with the Chinese, but it must be one which satisfies the Chinese requirement for manufacturing involvement and Leyland's desire to provide extra . work for its plant.
Mr Barlas told CM that he regards a Chinese deal as one of the three principal targets that Leyland should achieve at present.
One of the last customers for the Landmaster was the Save the Children Fund which is using them on famine relief work. Fund overseas director Hugh Mackay (left) and Leyland's North African director, Geoff Jackson, are shown with some of the vehicles at Southampton last month.
The others are to regain a 25 per cent share of the British market for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes and for it to make big increases in its penetration of the mainland European market.
For other export markets, Leyland's chances should be increased next year when its Landmaster-replacernent export truck is launched.
The Landrnaster, launched in 1981, suffered from teething troubles with the BMC 98-Series engine in its early days, but the decision to stop making it from this year coincided with the run-down of the Bathgate plant at which it was built using G-cab components.
It would have been difficult to integrate Landmaster into the production lines at the Leyland assembly plant in Lancashire, but the new model will be built there.