From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Notes of a conference regarding chassis costs and methods for reduction.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 30\1\ Scan243 | |
| Date | 21th November 1938 | |
| NOTES OF CONFERENCE RE CHASSIS COSTS, ETC. AT DERBY NOVEMBER 28TH, 1938. Present:- Eg. Mor. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Sft.{Mr Swift} Roy.{Sir Henry Royce} Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} RHD. Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} Eg. stated that the main object of the meeting was to consider ways and means of reducing the cost of chassis. He pointed out that while there had been a fair margin of profit on the P.II the 20/25 showed such a small profit that if we were dependent on the production of these alone the financial position would be very serious. Our chief profit-bearing chassis - P.II - is now out of production and Eg. said his information up to the present pointed to the P.III being more expensive to produce than P.II. He said it is important, therefore, that costs should be given serious consideration and that there should be the closest co-operation between Design, Experimental, Buying and Production departments with a view to getting things on to a better basis. It is not intended or desired that quality should suffer in any way nor is it suggested that any department or individual is to be blamed but that a new and co-ordin-ated effort should be made to achieve the desired result. Eg. gave certain figures bearing out his statement. A discussion followed and many tentative suggestions were made for reducing cost. Bought-out Its. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} said that the cost of experimental work could be appreciably reduced if we employed specialist firms on such items as - Clutches, Electrical Installation & Car-burettors and maybe go further still to include larger units such as brakes, axles and gearboxes. Several objections were raised from a technical point of view by E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} and Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} and Mor. said that we must not forget whatever we do on the research side by using specialist firms we must remember that we have a large well-equipped factory and it is questionable whether we can purchase outside units of R.R. design and specification in the quantities we require at as low a cost as we can produce them ourselves. This is being made plain daily in our | ||