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Kings of export
Page 84
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There's something of an air of mystery encircling the Crown Agents, but one of their activities is running a specialist vehicle hotline to the Third World. John Durant explains
IUST OVER 1,0 0 0 British rehicles were exported last year hrough Crown Agents. It's an idvantageous hotline, mainly o Third World countries, and a ield where with better organisaion, better delivery times and nore competitive prices, UK nanufacturers could do better.
During the mid-Seventies, iround 1,500 to 2,000 vehicles vere sold annually this way, but hen there was no recession, vhich has lengthened many devery times, and less Japanese ompetition.
The full title of the agency is he Crown Agents for Overseas iovernments and Administra ons. The Crown Agents, which 'name an incorporated body fter 146 years of existence in 980, acts as financial, commerial and professional agents for Iver 100 countries and, in those ountries, for over 300 individual rganisations.
It does not act for individuals r private commercial concerns.
Its main function is to serve overnments and public bodies rith supplies, services and quipment not available in their wn countries. The best use is lade of foreign exchange availble through competitive buylg. So overseas countries, 'any of them in Africa, are getng a good deal.
The agency's Specialist ehicle Service is offered as part f a comprehensive service, and designed to provide asstance in the design, selection nd procurement of the many ifferent types of vehicle necesary for the development of ade, industry, tourism, security nd other public services.
The service includes spares nd allied equipment, together rith advice, consultancy and iaintenance services needed to keep such vehicles in functioning order.
The largest vehicle order last year was from Bangladesh for 169 six-ton Bedford chassis in kit form.. Bedford is very popular out there.
• While many orders are for lorries and tippers, plus a number of mainly Sherpa and Marina pickups and a few cars, there is quite a call for minibuses and a significant demand for appliances and ambulances.
Last year, for instance, Hong Kong took 47 Ford/Wadham Stringer ambulances, while the Minya region of Egypt, for a project initiated by the late Colonel Nasser and funded in part by a World Bank loan, ordered 35 Land-Rover/Pilcher ambulances.
All vehicles are inspected and given a 25-mile road test, including appraisal. of special-purpose equipment where applicable, before being shipped.
Complaints of failures of British vehicles, Crown Agents officers tell me, are agreeably few and far between these days and concern wear and tear to bodywork. However, prices are another matter.
Lower first cost and short delivery dates are the foreign manufacturers' main advantages, even when it is suspected that a British vehicle in some cases is likely to last twice as long. However, they did praisi Ford for its good record on de livery times.
Most of the overseas order! are needed "tomorrow", the! said.
More words of praise came fo many British bodybuilders lean, hungry firms. It's the other British vehicle manufacturer who fall down. There had beei over recent years a general im provement made here in de livery times, but with the reces sion, and "the fostering o labour resources by trade: unions", there is, contrary tc what one might suppose, no im provement and in many inst ances times are now worse, thel, said.
However, the agency has go round this problem in the case o Land Rovers; it placed a bull order with Leyland and no runs a pool of them whereby e number can be provided withir a couple of days.
The main features of the Specialist Vehicles Service corn. prise advice on and procure. ment of:
• Roadmaking, earthmovinf. and other road construction an maintenance vehicles, mobil( plant (including generators an air compressors) and material; (such as cement, road dressings drainage requirements an paint).
• Port, airport, terminus and de pot vehicles and equipment (such as forklifts and other cargc handling vehicles, crash tenders mobile cranes and workshops).
• Public Works Departmen vehicles, (such as mobile cranes breakdown vehicles, caravans Land-Rovers, Range-Rovers an other rough terrain vehicles).
• Public Health Departmen vehicles, (such as ambulance and mobile clinics, vehicle equipped for general use or to special Health Department pro grammes and suitable for roa or off-the-road use, as required) • Public trans.port vehicles (such as buses of all types, car limousines, fare collecting requi sites, office and accountin supplies).
• Fire, Police, and Defence De partments vehicles, (such a staff and patrol cars, securit transport vehicles, fire appli ances, turntable ladders and s on).
• Spare parts and replace ments.