10 per cent rises
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SALARY increases for distribution management during 1982 averaged a surprisingly high 10.15 per cent, according to a recently published distribution salary survey, writes DAVID WILCOX.
The survey, which is sponsored by the Institute of Physical Distribution Management and conducted by Trans Promotions of Guildford, takes its information from IPDM members and from 1,565 distribution positions in over 400 companies.
During 1981 the average salary increase had been 9.8 per cent and Trans Promotions had expected a figure around six to eight per cent for 1982, rather than the 10.15 per cent noted. Distribution analysts and administrators did particularly well (13.9 per cent increase) while those at director level were at the other end of the scale (8.3 per cent increase).
Of the 1,565 positions analysed, the largest single group was distribution managers. Their median salary was £12,500 and 88 per cent of them also have a company car — typically a two-litre Cortina, The average age of the distribution manager has fallen slightly since last year, from 45 to 41 and this trend towards more youthful management was also noticed among some other grades. Almost 28 per cent of distribution managers have a university degree.
Moving down the scale to warehouse managers (average age 37) the median salary is £10,000 and only 24 per cent have a company car.
The 68 fleet engineers surveyed had a median salary of £8,873 and their average age was 42. None had a degree but 94 per cent had another professional qualification such as City and Guilds. Just over half of them had a company car.
Distribution managers taking part in the survey were asked what would be their biggest challenge in 1983. The most common answer (44 per cent) was to reduce the cost of operations, followed by the maintenance of service levels (35 per cent) and the counteraction of falling sales/volume (15 per cent). And the main business priority for 3 per cent of the distribution managers was survival.
The geographical spread of the companies surveyed showed a definite bias towards London and the South East and almost a third of them were in the road haulage and contract services industrial classification.
Copies of the survey report cost £14 and can be obtained from Trans Promotions, 137/139 High Street, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 3AD.