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ARC dispute Your articleTipping the Scales (CM11-17 Feb) makes interesting

25th February 1993
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Page 20, 25th February 1993 — ARC dispute Your articleTipping the Scales (CM11-17 Feb) makes interesting
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

and mostly accurate reading, but I object to an innacuracy regarding my company.

ARC dispute Your articleTipping the Scales (CM11-17 Feb) makes interesting and mostly accurate reading, but I object to an innacuracy regarding my company.

The article says: "Cadwallader Transport Services of Pontypridd was brought in to replace the striking operators in an attempt to continue supplying customers."

lithe writer had done his homework he would have found that my company is the major haulier regularly used by ARC, South Wales since 1976 throughout the area.

A meeting was called without inviting my company and the decision taken to strike. I was then told to park my 45 vehicles and stop using my sub-contractors by the strikers, most of whom have worked for ARC for a comparatively short time. Many of these operators have no experience of working for anyone other than ARC and are cushioned from the reality of competition and recession.

It amazes me when I see them parked all day at one ARC site and refusing to work at another a few miles away with plenty of work.

I agree with ARCs statement defending its rates when compared to its competitors. Cadwallader works throughout the UK for most of the major construction companies and, in fact, almost anyone who uses tippers, so I am in a position to comment when discussing rates.

When the miners' strike was in progress my company together with Cosslett Contractors, Alan Price & Son and very few others in South Wales refused to cross a picket line for the duration of the dispute because I felt the miners' cause was a just one. I can assure your magazine that my company will not be "called in" by anyone and used to break a strike anywhere.

However, I would not be intimidated into turning my back on my best customer over the past 17 years which pays adequate rates and pays on time.

The consequences of my company joining the strikers would have seriously damaged ARC's customer base— it did not deserve that.

I trust this gives CM a better understanding of the facts and your readers a different view of Cadwallader Transport Services.

Jeff Cadwallader Managing director Cadwallader Transport Services CM welcomes Mr Cadwallader's comments However, while researching the story we contacted Mr Cadwallader's office to be told he had nothing to contribute to the piece Even so, the story fully catalogued alleged attacks on Cadwallader vehicles during the dispute—Ed.

Which Wilcox?

We at Wilcox are proud of our company name, the quality of our products and our reputation in the marketplace. We work hard to safeguard that reputation by paying great attention to improving product design, training and quality—all reinforced by our having BS5750. It comes a bit hard therefore to read in this week's Bodybuilding News (CM1117 Feb) of the activities of R&G Wilcox and the description of their products as Wilcox tippers.

Can I make it clear that the tipper business owned by Mr Ray Wilcox, which normally trades under the name of Stevecastle, has nothing to do with EM Wilcox, which manufacturers a full range of vehicle bodies for carrying bulk materials and which is based at Market Deeping.

I suppose it could be regarded as the greatest form of flattery that Stevecastle and some other tipper body manufacturers should try so hard to associate themselves with the Wilcox name.

C S Jones, Managing Director, EM Wilcox Ltd We went to great lengths to make it dear that BOCM Pauls' new 32-tonne 8x4 had been bodied by R&G Wilcox and not by EM Wilcox. It would have he4bed to have said that it was one of R&G's Stevecastle range of bodies — Ed Fighting back Iwrite concerning your article headed "Security Update—Highway Robberies" in as far as it relates to the hijacking of tobacco carrying vehicles (CM 28Jan-3 Feb).

I was extremely disappointed to read the quotes attributed to "a spokesman" that preventing such offences "seems an almost hopeless task". That is far from true. While we continually face the threat of violent attack by criminals, and this is serious, the situation is far from "hopeless".

In 1991,12 such attacks were made on vehicles carrying our (the UK tobacco manufacturers') goods. While nine of these were successful three were thwarted by security devices on the vehicles and by evasive action taken by drivers.

Last year we suffered 11 attacks, two of which were similarly prevented. When I tell you that in 1969, the year our office was formed, the number of hijacks we suffered totalled 58, you will see that the word "hopeless" is, in fact, misplaced. Already this year an active team of hijackers has been thwarted and arrests made by police due to preventative measures taken by our carriers.

The tobacco industry is extremely vigilant and positive in the protection of its product Company security officers ensure that drivers receive full training and that our own and carriers' vehicles are equipped with the most modern and effective security systems.

Ken Davies, Manager, Security Liaison, Tobacco Advisory Council, London SW1.

We were certainly not implying that tobacco carriers, or any other hauliers of high-value loads, do not take hijackings seriously, but the quote mentioned, like all those we publish, was genuine and some victims do feel hellkss in the face of violent attacks CM applauds Mr Davies' positive attitude and wants to help combat truck crime by publicising new products and techniques—as we did in the issue he refers to—Ed.


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