• 11111■■■ Containers are embarrassing says BRS official
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• Containers have proved an embarrassment to road haulage, and where traders have specified their use they have had to pay premium rates to cover the additional costs as well as losses in payload and operating efficiency, said Mr. F. C. Wilmot, commercial officer, BRS Ltd., in Manchester on Monday.
He was one of three speakers at a symposium on "How containerization will affect management in industry", held jointly by the Manchester divisions of the British Institute of Management and the Institute of Packaging. Mr. Wilmot, stressing that this was his personal view and not official BRS policy, said his thought should be taken in context. He thought members would wish to hear the opposite point of view to that given by the other two speakers.
As most journeys commenced and finished by road, the additional costs of containerization must be reflected in throughrates, continued Mr. Wilmot. Containers were expensive and required to be freely transferable. The complications in keeping track of equipment were to be investigated by the Government's £24,000 "system design" study.
In road haulage, said Mr. Wilmot, 80 cuStiton was normal. Twenty tons could rarely be put in a 20ft container. The shipping standard was 40 cu.ft. but arbitrary measurements did not change the density of the commodity. The non-utilization of pallets in containers would add to warehouse costs.
Mr. J. T. Morris, Freightliner marketing officer, BR London Midland Region, said that as from next month Freightliners would be running to the Continent with through services from inland centres via Parkeston Quay, Harwich.
To obtain the benefits of containerization, management would have to rethink their packaging and transport. They could eliminate stockpiling and accommodate more goods in less space, he contended.
Mr. M. G. Bates, container manager (UK and Europe), Cunard Line Ltd., said its network of seven inland container ports with groupage facilities set up in conjunction with BR and road haulage industries would be extended this year.