LA's go-ahead for Renault export deal
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• A new deal between Renault and Pressed Steel Fisher overcame a final obstacle in Bristol on Tuesday when the Western LA, Mr. J. R. C. Samuel-Gibbon, granted an A licence for eight artics to Howard Tenens Services Ltd., of Stratton St. Margarett, conditioned: "to carry motor vehicle pressings and components, materials to be collected from points within 150 miles of Swindon and transported to any Channel port for .onward shipping to France-.
BRS and British Railways withdrew their objections after the applicant assured them that none of its other vehicles, specified on B and Contract A licences, would be used to carry the pressings and components to the new Tenens central storage area from Pressed Steel Fisher. Mr. R, C. Day, group transport director, assured Mr. M. McGregor-Johnson, representing BRS, and Mr. G. T. Henbury, representing BR, that all its present vehicles were working to full capacity.
Mr. T. Corpe, for the applicant, explained that the new contract was worth several million pounds a year to Pressed Steel Fisher Ltd. It would make all the body pressings for Renault cars and export them to France where they would be assembled. For the initial period, he said, it would be necessary to import French steel but it was expected that the British Steel Corporation would soon be able to supply it in sufficient quantities. Pressed Steel Fisher claimed to have the most modern steel factory in Europe and it was thought that this was why Renault had decided to import.
Mr. R, C. Day said Tenens would collect the pressings and components from the three Pressed Steel Fisher factories and transport them to its new centralized store in Swindon, After treatment the pressings would be carried by T.I.R. artics to the Renault factory near Paris. The temperature-controlled storage area covered 35,000 sq. ft. and its upkeep cost £17,500 p.a. New vehicles had cost a further £36,000 and £37,000 had been spent on collapsible pallets, although Pressed Steel Fisher had borne 60 per cent of the cost.
Some conditions of the contract, said Mr. Day, were that within four hours of receiving the goods at the storage area they had to be specially treated with oil to prevent rust for a minimum of 10 weeks. Another was that at least eight weeks supplies should be stocked and Tenens should undertake the Customs and export documentation. The drivers had been specially selected, The Pressed Steel Fisher group sales manager said this contract, his company's first in the Common Market, was extremely important. Other French manufacturers had made approaches he said, but it was necessary for Pressed Steel Fisher to establish itself on the Continent with Renault before taking on other commitments. The transport was of paramount importance and he thought Tenens was well-equipped to tackle the operation,
Because Tenens had revised its original plans to transport payloads of 15-16 tons to payloads of 19-20 tons, the increased weight of the unladen vehicles was too great for the LA to grant without republishing the application. The grant was therefore made as published in Applications and Decisions number 1203 and Tenens will have to apply to vary the vehicles granted.