Flow-line for Atkinson
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• Following the transfer of its service department to Bamber Bridge, Atkinson Vehicles Ltd. has been able to introduce flowline assembly at its Walton-le-Dale factory. As a result, the production rate has already increased 15 per cent and there is said to be room for an even bigger increase towards the end of the year.
"The order book gives every reason for confidence that an increasing rate of production can be maintained", said Mr. Stuart Eden-Smith, Atkinson's sales director, this week. He claimed a sales-boom reaction from the BMH-Leyland merger which seemed to have caused a number of operators to switch orders to the small, independent manufacturers. This had happened abroad as well as in Britain. As for the small Leyland stake in Atkinson shareholding, this did not affect Atkinson's independence. "It is actually 17 per cent, by the way—not the 20 per cent often quoted", he said.
The replanned factory now has three assembly lines. One of these is devoted exclusively to the snow plough and gritter chassis for the MoT, which has ordered another 128. The second assembly line deals with two-axle and rear-steer tractive units. On the third line rigid chassis and six-wheeled tractive units are assembled.
Production of the new, wide cab shown at the Scottish Show would not commence until autumn, said Mr. Eden-Smith, because the new design would be part of a package deal involving a re-designed chassis front-end with improved suspension. This front-end would accept either the low cab or the high Viewline cab.