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Bedford: new job losses feared

21st June 1986, Page 4
21st June 1986
Page 4
Page 4, 21st June 1986 — Bedford: new job losses feared
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

• Bedford Trucks is believed to be on the point of announcing heavy redundancies at its two plants in Bedfordshire.

Currently the General Motors subsidiary has 6,900 employees, 2,300 of them at Dunstable where trucks and buses are built, and 4,600 at Luton at the head office and van assembly plant.

The Dunstable plant, where truck engine, gearbox and axle manufacture takes place as well as truck assembly, must be the most likely target for any cutback.

Two years ago its capacity was reduced from 50,000 to 30,000 vehicles a year, but last year Bedford produced only 15,000 trucks and saw its UK market share tumble.

The soon-to-be-published financial results for 1985 are expected to show a continuing loss.

Earlier this year, newly appointed general manager Paul Tosch told CM: "There are no easy solutions. We are looking at several options."

There seem to be few options left for CM's plans to strengthen its commercial vehicle subsidiary in Europe. The collapse of the talks with the Government earlier this year over GM's Land Rover,' Leyland takeover bid was a great disappointment, following

the failure of similar talks with MAN and Enasa.

GM's Truck and Bus Group, formed in 1982 to rationalise the corporation's worldwide commercial vehicle manufacturing and marketing activities, has yet to show any sign of success.

No wholly new models of any kind have been seen in Europe since its formation, but Bedford says: "The major organisational change which has resulted from the formation of the Truck and Bus Group, with Bedford's design and engineering activities being integrated with those in Pontiac and Japan, has now been completed."

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People: Paul Tosch

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