Profit is our theme for
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CM'S 1980 Conference BOOKINGS are now being accepted for the 1980 Fleet Management Conference. The date is October 9; the place is The Royal Lancaster, London; and the fee £40 + vat, which includes registration, manuals, coffee, cocktails, lunch and tea.
This is a one-day conference from 9.30am till 4.30pm. There are four papers on the theme of Profit. Previous delegates to FCM should have received their advance booking forms — general registration is now open.
Sir Dan Pettit, lately chairman of National Freight Corporation, is the conference chairman. He knows the industry and the industry knows him. Under his chairmanship the programme coheres, but keeps strictly to its allotted time. He encourages and stimulates that most essential conference ingredient — open discussion.
The speakers are all road transport men who are specialists in their own particular fields. Delegates will receive a synopsis of their papers in advance and an invitation to submit a written question on the papers.
Following the presentation of each paper there will be about 25 minutes for questions and discussion.
In addition to the papers we have an item of added interest. British Road Services recently introduced Datafreight to their range of services. In its simplest form the service provides backload information for its member customers — that means operators who have joined the scheme.
On October 9 delegates to FMC will be able to see the system at work, get more detailed information and join the scheme. But that is the bonus.
The business of the day starts off with a paper presented by Ron Cater who was for a time CM's assistant technical editor and is now Volvo's sales development manager in the UK. Ron is one of the most highly skilled "driver convertorsin the country. He says "Even the most experienced driver can improve on his fuel consumption".
Ron will present his theory and then take a driver on the road for about 200 miles. At the end of the Conference he will report on the fuel savings the driver achieves after two hours' "conversion". Ron's paper is Driving for Profit. We break for coffee after this, and no doubt the discussion will go on.
"Does the industry really get the management it requires or is it the one it deserves?" asks Mr Paige. He will present a paper to help find the answer. After lunch A. J. P. (Tony) Wilding, formei CM technical editor ane chief engineer of FTA and more recently, erstwhil€ product manager of Fiat UK, presents his paper Tony knows how to build kspecification for a vehic1( better than most. -Toc many operators under specify either througlignorance or by intent, t( save money," he argues He will demonstrate hom to avoid the pitfalls o underspecification. Buyinc for Profit is the title o Tony's presentation.
In the second pape after lunch Nick Buckley Renault Truck's (UK) mar keting director, will look a the prospect of a Europear vehicle. With fewe manufacturers, les models and more rational isation "Will the operato profit from a smalle vehicle manufacturin( market?"
We have asked Nicl Buckley to provide thl answers in a paper entitle( Profit from Rationalisation At 4.30pm we break fo tea, informal discussioi and departure.
We are submitting thi programme to the RTITI for consideration for training grant.
Registration form should be returned to th conference organiser Christine Jones, but do nc send the fee — we wi supply a vat invoice.
on Cater started his career as driver/fitter with Tyburn 'ankers. He was later its vehicle ixaminer and then fleet enginer. After a spell as Pitt Trailers ales manager in the Southern rea he joined CM as assistant echnical editor.
In 1970 he moved to Volvo vhere he has served as sales iromotion manager, enlineering manager, and market upport engineer. He is now ales development manager.
'ictor Paige has been an fficer of National Freight Cororation since 1970. In 1977 e was appointed deputy hairman and this year was appointed chairman of the Port of London Authority. He is also a member of the Manpower Services Commission, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Transport, and a Companion of the British Institute of Management.
Tony Wilding has also had practical experience in both the operating and manufacturing sides of the business, His career started at London Brick Company before he joined CM as assistant technical editor and later became technical editor. As the chief engineer of the Freight Transport Association he met operators on their own ground with their specific problems. He helped to establish Fiat in the UK before becoming self-employed in transport engineering consultancy.
As manager, engineering facilities and services at Leyland's central engineering department, Nick Buckley worked on the development of the Leyland National Bus, and then transferred to marketing to "learn the trade".
Before joining Renault Trucks and Buses (UK) Ltd in September 1978, where he participated in a programme aimed at expanding the company dealer network and market share, Nick was marketing plans manager of the Medium /Light Division. He joined the Board in
April 1980. Slr Dan Pettit returns to chair FMC 80.