What a year to start a business!
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AFTER Daf's directors in Holland set up a British subsidiary in 1973, they might well have asked themselves: What have we done? They could hardly have chosen a more turbulent year.
Britain took the controversial step of joining the EEC, vat was introduced, a foreign-exchange crisis began, the Heath Government (to fall the following year) had to grant heavy increases in food prices, Iran doubled the price of crude oil with devastating effects on the Western economy and by Christmas the nation was on a three-day working week.
In that feverish atmosphere Daf employees, who could be counted on the fingers of two hands, had to fight hard for a 1.3 per cent share of the market for lorries over 14.5 tonnes gross. Ten years later a 9.5 per cent share is claimed and the staff has grown to 150. Coach sales are doing well, too.
To celebrate its 10th anniversary, DAF Trucks (GB) opened a new £3 million six-acre truck and bus centre in Colchester on June 21. Sir Terence Beckett, directorgeneral of the CBI, performed the opening ceremony. It is not long ago that as Ford's chairman he was a keen rival of Daf and he knows better than most just how hard the British company has had to strive for its success.