Out and Home.- --- By "The Extractor."
Page 13
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The " agent" looks like becoming a more important factor in the business of selling commercial vehicles, and the dinner of the Agents' Section of the S.M.M.T. on Tuesday the 7th November is upon us and worthy of support. I am reminded by that insuppressible personage, Mr. J. Stafford, the hon. see. of the feast, who is to be found at Maxwell House, Arundel Street, Strand, W.C., that morning dress will be worn to suit the general convenience. Tickets are as., and an exceptionally strong programme of artistes will entertain after some brief speeches. The Agents' Section dinner is usually one of the best evenings of the Olympia Show week.
If the talk be about tires and rims, T have in mind a man who will wax eloquent by the hour together. Glimpses would be revealed of his vast storehouse of tire knowledge, and on an occasion when a comparison of various types comes up for discussion, I know of no one who can be more convincing or who can produce so many reasons why the make which bears his name "supersedes all others." And, mind you, this, in my humble judgment, is as it should be. But take this same tenacious, persistent and pushful individual, ask him to give a few particulars concerning his career, as to bow his remarkable business has been built up and about his personal ,liare in that work, then one is faced ,vith nothing more elucidating than the Sphinx. Our artist contrived, at an Olympia Show two or three years ago, to obtain a thumb-nail ,ketch of the subject under review by me now, and since then I have tried vainly to buttonhole him, but. never a word would he utter about himself. Anyhow, to use a famous phrase, "The resources of civilization are not exhausted," and I have gleaned from friends who have known him the happenings of a business life which has been by no means uneventful.
Thirty years ago Mr. Charles Challiner was engaged as an engineering smith in his native town of Sheffield, and he clearly perceived the huge possibilities the future held in store for the development of the rubber tire for vehicles. At that period, it must be remembered, the advent of a rubber-shod carriage created almost as much consternation in the streets as an aeroplane would to-day. Challiner concentrated his talents on converting some of his crude ideas into material form. He migrated to Manchester at that time to take up a position as active working manager to the Noiseless Tyre Co., Ltd. A number of inventions followed for the rolling of the channel steels used with rubber tires. He also produced new types and forms of tires, with new designs of tools for their handling, too numerous to name, but representing much of the pioneer work forming the foundation of the use of the solid-tire, with its vast commercial value as it exists to-day.
Every type of vehicle was tackled. The year 1597 marked the turning point in Challiner's career. The widely-known " cup " tire revolutionized the trade, and the "Giant" and " World " tires were becoming famous. It was then that he decided t.0 start for lirnself, and within two years additions were made to hie premises and the output was doubled. Then came the Challiner and Willoughby Tyre Co., Ltd., and not long afterwards an amalgamation was formed with the Shrewsbury and Talbot Cab and Noiseless Tyre Co., Ltd. With the title as used at the present moment., Charles Challiner's services were secured as managing director, the chairman being the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot.
Little else remains to be told except that motor developments have extended Challiner's undoubted engineering skill and have intensified his commercial instincts. The last 20 years, according to those who know him best. Lave only registered some slight but unrelenting changee of Arno Domini. Challiner's true north-country geniality, his keen business acumen, his vitality and unfailing good spirits remain untouche.d.
The daily papers, at the time of writing, are full of a narrow escape of the boat train with passengers for the " Lusitania," and this brings to my mind that in talking with Mr, Fritz Poppe, of the Polack Tyre Co.. Ltd., last week, he told me that: he had booked a, passage by this very boat, but was compelled, through the exigereies of business to cancel it. The Polack business in the States would appear to be developing not with strides tut leaps. I see a list of depots in eight or nine of the big cities---real depots, not agencies, I am given to understand ----and the yearly turnover in Polack Truck Tires, as they are called over there. is simply stupendous. Mr. Fritz Poppe is a director of the American company.