The Ringmaster
Page 45
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A LTHOUGH Mr. Paul N. Matton, managing director of Trico-Folberth, Ltd., may be slight in stature, he knows how to shout. He may he engulfed by his enormous Buick, but not by his competitors.
Up to 1946 his company's exports were negligible. TricoFolberth now export 55 per cent of their production and, according to Mr. Matton, make more than half the windscreen-wiper blades fitted to vehicles manufactured in Europe.
Last week he explained how it was done. Tough and forceful salesmanship may not be quite the thing in Britain, but is an essential factor in selling abroad," he said. Quality goods would not sell themselves and it was the man who shouted the loudest who sold the most.
Mr. Matton is not ashamed to use the technique of the circus ringmaster to attract attention to the collapsible stands which the company transport in their own vehicles to shows all over Europe. He has toured all the Continental markets and overseas sales are now handled direct. When TricoFolberth wipers were being handled by overseas agents, they were smothered by many other lines handled by the factors.
Twopence Coloured
FROM ringmasters to fancy waistcoats is a short step, although Loughborough is the last place in which would expect to find colourful garments. The town was, however, recently assailed; by members of the County Theatre Company Waistcoat Club, who travelled from Nottingham in a 1912 Daimler coach driven by Mr. T. A. Barton. He was the first .regular driver of the vehicle 44 years ago and is now the managing director of its owners, Barton Transport, Ltd. Mr. C. R. Atkinson, wearing a fancy waistcoat for the occasion,. was impressed as co-driver. The purpose of the trip was a meeting at which members of the Club discussed whether modern transport had done more harm than good. Although no clear-cut decision was reached, members were unanimous in their view that a similar discussion in 20 years' time could exclude the effect of road transport on the lives of citizens, because, unless some unusually enlightened government provided an adequate highway system, it would have ceased to be a power for either good or evil.
Busman's Hobby
AWELL-KNOWN figure in the bus industry has been partly responsible for the groundwork which, last Saturday, culminated in the revival of a railway. He is Mr. W. J. Crosland-Taylor, a director and general manager of Crosville Motor Services, Ltd.. Mr. Crosland-Taylor is a member of the society that supports the Festiniog Railway, a company formed by enthusiasts in 1954 to restore a line that has been derelict for the past 10 years: So far, only the 2I-mile length between Portmadoc and Minffordd has been cleared—by voluntary labour, incidentally—but it is hoped eventually to restore the entire route to Blaenau Ffestiniog, a distance of 134 miles. Ironically, the company are looking partly to the bus industry to help them in their task. Crosville have already made arrangements to run excursions to the railway throughout the summer, and it may well he that operators from farther afield may organize trips for enthusiasts.