Telex control for European removals
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EFFECTIVE communications are helping CETI (Co-operative d'Entreprises de Transports Internationaux) to grow rapidly. This consortium of some 60 of the leading international removal companies in Europe (11 in the UK) is a success story, for in little more than three years membership and carryings have grown much faster than was originally envisaged. The striking orange livery of the CETI members' vehicles is helping to promote the idea that in transport co-operation pays off. CETI chairman Mr Tom Mitchell, of Davies Turner Ltd — a company founded 101 years ago — told the recent third general assembly of CETI member firms that it is hoped soon to launch an ISO container pool giving access to members of up to 300 containers. These will also be painted in the familiar livery.
All CETI member firms are connected with each other and with the Geneva headquarters office by telex. Very urgent calls relating to back loads or breakdowns are made by telephone but 95 per cent of the routine exchange of traffic and commercial information is done by telex. With about 50 overseas members in addition to the 60 firms in Europe included in the system it is easy to see how vital is this communications link.
Mr Mitchell told me that much European removals work for worldwide companies is arranged in America or Canada, when a
major manufacturer would give traffic orders direct to a local remover for a movement — by an American vanline member firm — from London to Rome. CETI has been set up to provide the same sort of service to European-based international companies and the concept would not be a runner without effective communications aids.
Eurovan, a competing consortia of European removers, has its control centre at Landau in Germany. Transport developments in the Common Market suggest that there may soon be a need for a number of specialized agencies equipped with all modern communications facilities to undertake the vital co-ordination of vehicle movements, , for in proportion to the effectiveness of back-loading will firms
prosper. J.D.