Simms to Make and Market Petrol Injection System
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MEWS that the Simms Motor and Electronics Corp. Ltd. is to manufacture and market an American-designed petrol-injection system for engines used in commercials and cars was given by Mr. G. E. Liardet, chairman and managing director of the corporation, at the company's annual dinner this week. The system is that developed by the Marvel-Schebler division of the BorgWarner Corp. and a company has been formed in this country called Simms • Marvel-Schebier Ltd. in which Simms and Borg-Warner are equal partners.
The Marvel-Schebler petrol-injection system was first developed about seven years ago in America, and its main application is reported to be on commercial vehicles. It is expected that in the UK first applications will be to cars and I understand that negotiations are now under way with a large motor manufacturer to have the system accepted and eventually offered as an option on certain models. This is a logical first step in ensuring adequate production to get an economic price and, later on, applications to commercial vehicles can be expected.
An important feature of the MarvelSchebler equipment is the degree of standardization possible for engines of widely differing capacities. The same injection-pump unit is adaptable for engines from about 1.5 litres to 5 litres and the same basic unit can be adapted easily for fourand six-cylinder engines.
In his speech, Mr. Liardet spoke of the difficulties in marketing high-quality equipment. He said that Simms sold on technical superiority but there was a very firm reluctance on the part of many customers to pay an economic price. He warned that those who dealt with the lowest bidder should add something for the risk they take.
Moving on to deal with competition, Mr. Liardet said that the cut-throat price battle went relentlessly on, because some manufacturers were determined to dominate whole industries by price alone. This left insufficient margin for research and development he said, and if this was a way of eventually disposing of competition. the Government had better take a lead from the USA in their attitude to Anti-Trust Laws, as such discipline was needed in this country.
New Address: Cummins Diesel Sales and Service Ltd. have opened new corporate headquarters for all sales activities at Westland House. Curzon Street, London WI (Tel.: GROsvenor 5964,5). Engineering and service functions will continue to operate from Hunsbury Works, Northampton.