BIRD'S EYE VIEW
Page 52
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BY THE HAWK
• Sir Peter Thompson has brought back an alarming trait from the United States where he has been spearheading the acquisition of Allied Van Lines. The NFC chairman has spent three weeks on a "dog and pony" trip round the country trying to persuade members of the Allied co-operative to accept a takeover by NFC.
Now back in Britain, Thompson appears to be retaining phrases picked-up in such exotic places as Soranton, Sacramento, Flushing and Eureka.
Favourite phrase is "kind of which" featured liberally in Thompson's speech at the announcement of last year's annual figures.
Rumour has it that Sir Peter will include the following phrase in his speech to the NFC shareholders in Blackpool on 21 February: "Y'all have a good flotation, y'heah!"
• There have been Pearly Kings in George Major's family for more than 200 years, and a mini-skip business for considerably less. His company, Major Minisldps, employes 14 people and is doing well running 12 trucks in an 80km radius of Croydon in south London.
He has just bought four new Renault Commando G08-100 trucks and says "I anticipate needing another eight during the year". It must be all those buttons he carries around.
• It isn't often that an opportunity arises to employ a team of 50 dynamometer operators and prototype mechanics, so this advertisement in the "situations wanted" column of our sister publication Motor, has caused quite a stir.
The advertisement states that the engineers are based near Dunton in Essex and appears at a time when another rumour in the industry is doing the rounds. Ford's Dunton research centre is one of the largest in the country with over 90 test cells for prototype engine development. Work currently being carried out there includes the development of the 1.8-litre ID! turbo diesel for the P100, a research programme into direct injection, the i4 replacement for the 2-litre the shift working in a number of the tests cells where important development work takes place and sub-contract the work to a number of local specialist firms. Incensed by this move, 50 of the dynamometer operators employed at Dunton have threatened some sort of action.
I don't suppose it could be the same 50 dynamometer operators who . . No. . . MI Nina Russell, above, has just passed her CPC National Freight exam after attending a gruelling fiveday management course with EP Training Services of Esher, Surrey.
Russell passed her HGV 3 licence two years ago at the first attempt following a four-day intensive course. Since passing the HGV she has been working for a scaffolding firm but is now looking for a position as a transport manager.