Turn of the tide
Page 43
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would be naive to attribute 3tional Carriers first trading ofit in 1977 wholly to Brian ayward's appointment as anaging director on May 1, D76. The writing on the wall as already encouraging when ? took over but there is no Dubt that his dynamism uickly helped to convert a ading loss of £4.1m in 1976 a gross profit of £500,000 in 977 and £2.6m last year.
A net deficit of £6.3m after iterest and other charges in 977 was transformed last year ito the company's first genuine rof it of £30,000 (Commercial lotor, February 9). The sum -lay be small but to improve nancial results by about £53/4m ) a difficult year is no mean chievement.
Brian believes that the staff /ere ready for his brand of 'open government' — as pplied to the National Freight :orporation as a whole by Sir /aniel Pettit and now by Bobbie .awrence — when he assumed :ommand. He attaches great mportance to meeting the staff and he expects his regional directors and managers to be in even closer contact with them. He has not been pleased when, visiting a depot with a regional official, a driver has hinted: I know you, Mr Hayward, but who's your friend?
Shop stewards and senior managers receive the same statistical and financial information, and some of the shop stewards have an embarrassing grasp of detail. One was chairman of Manchester City Council's Finance and General Purposes Committee and was responsible for a budget running into scores of millions of pounds.
Brian acknowledges with gratitude the encouragement given to him by Peter Thompson, the NFC's chief executive, in widening National Carriers' scope. He believes there is now enthusiasm at all levels in the business. He admits that this year could be difficult but I for one shall be surprised if National Carriers do not end it substantially in surplus.