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ERF ends tractor building in UK

7th March 2002, Page 7
7th March 2002
Page 7
Page 7, 7th March 2002 — ERF ends tractor building in UK
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by ruby Clark ERF is to end mainstream UK vehicle manufacturing after almost 70 years, Production of the ECX and ECS ranges at Middlewich will end in July, while a new model (to be unveiled at the Commercial Vehicle Show next month) will be built at plants in Germany and Austria belonging to its parent company MAN.

The move means the loss of at least 200 jobs—half the workforce at Middlewich, already cut from 750 last September—and the end of the composite-cab ERF.

According to MAN, the move "will substantially improve competitiveness" and was prompted by the discovery of accounting irregularities last year which indicated that the firm was suffering "heavy and unacceptable losses".

Some production may remain at Middlewich; if ERF launches its low-entry municipal chassis at the NEC it is likely to he built in Cheshire.

Despite the blow to UK manufacturing, ERF operators and

dealers remain unfazed by the move. Peter Newman, general manager of Scunthorpe operator Ciugston Distribution, has just bought 15 ECX tractors. He says: "It's not a surprise— there's a fair amount of MAN in the vehicle already. When I purchase trucks I just look at what's on the market and get the best deal."

Gary Mullaney, boss of West Midlands-based ERF distributor Aquila, says: "It's really very sad for the people at Middlewich but it secures the future of a lot more people. As a dealer network we're talking, building and getting on—we've got a great. strong network."

Mullaney is unperturbed about the new range—based on MAN cabs and components with Cummins engines—appealing to traditional customers: "It's not worrying me that much. There's a lot of people making a fuss about British engineering, but that doesn't stop them buying Scanias and Dafs. The new product will be ultimately better engineered and built."

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Locations: West Midlands

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