Steel Position Worse Than in War
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A LTHOUGH there has been a greater r't interest taken in trolleybuses overseas, home demand has been quiet. The reasons include uncertainty about nationalization, severe restrictions on loans to local authorities, delay in obtaining sanction to increase fares and the cumbersomeness of the Parliamentary procedure for gaining power to run trolleybuses.
These observations are made by Mr. Sydney S. G ay, chairman, in the annual report of Guy Motors, Ltd., and the Sunbeam Trolleybus Co.. Ltd. He adds that other causes were the shortage of electric power and the variation in electrieity charges betWeen one undertaking and another, Orders for the Guy underfloorengined passenger model have been "most gratifying," but there has been the inevitable set-back in production associated with the introduction of a new design. A good demand continued for other passenger models, but because, of the increasing difficulties in obtaining materials, production is behind schedule.
"I am assured by our material controller that commencing about February last, the difficulty of obtaining supplies became and still is greater than at any period of the war, particularly in the case of sheet and alloy steels,' Mr. Guy commenter].
In the first half of 1951, the Guy works were congested with vehicles awaiting shipment for export There had been months of delay in obtaining shipping space, particularly to the Far East. In recent weeks, however, there had been an improvement.
Export orders in the financial year ended June 30, 1951, were 26 per cent. higher than in the previous 12 months.
In.the nine months ended September, 1951, says Mr. Guy, the -company's exports represented the highest percentage of any heavy-vehicle manufacturer.