Daf is poised to take over Leyland
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• As Commercial Motor went to press the announcement of a Daf takeover of Leyland Trucks seemed imminent. The Dutch company's plans for Leyland are believed to have been approved at a meeting 10 days ago between premier Margaret Thatcher and the Dutch Prime Minister, Ruud Lubbers.
The other potential buyer of Leyland — Seattle-based Paccar — seems to have dropped out of the running, despite the enthusiasm of Leyland customers and some dealers, as a result of political considerations. The Dutch bid did not arouse the hostile reception from some quarters that an American bid would.
One of Leyland's biggest customers and dealers — The Wincanton Group — fought a rearguard action this week in support of an American takeover. In an unusual step, its managing director, David Yeomans, wrote to 50 MPs, in whose constituencies his company operates, urging them to back a Paccar take-over.
His preference for Paccar, however, was strongly attacked by Sam Newton, chairman of Leyland Trucks Distributor Association.
In his letter Yeomans states that as a major user of Leyland trucks, and through its chain of truck garages, one of its largest dealers, "We have a strong commitment to the future of Leyland — but this extends beyond the commercial interests of industry and into the national interest with regard to the safeguarding of 10,000 jobs."
According to the Wincanton Group boss: "In the interests of the truck industry retaining and increasing employment in the UK, it is vital that the Paccar bid is backed."
If Paccar were to buy Leyland in preference to Daf it would, claims Yeomans, provide more jobs in Leyland.
A Paccar buyout would also open up the US market for Leyland light trucks, says Yeomans, who believes that a Paccar take-over would leave Daf with "little alternative but to source its light truck requirements through Leyland for the European market.
"With the financial backing of Paccar," writes Yeomans, the future of the UK truck manufacturing and components industry is "exciting" and may result in more employment — but he is less than flattering about Daf s advances: "If the Daf bid succeeds, I believe that Leyland Trucks' manufacturing and truck component manufacturing employment levels would fall substantially, putting at risk up to 10,000 jobs in the UK as a result of manufacturing interests being concentrated in Europe."
This issue, he says, "cuts across party politics".
His publicised preference for Paccar, which was reported recently in the Daily Telegraph, has been criticised by Sam Newton, chairman of the Leyland Truck Distributors Dealers Association, who says: "Its an inflammatory thing to do."