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).
Page 2 of a business letter to Mr. Robotham regarding product adoption, market intelligence, and competitor activities.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 149a\3\ scan0123 | |
Date | 18th July 1934 | |
Mr. Robotham -2- hotel to get them, he would have none of this because it would cost him 50¢ extra. As the business is owned by himself and his mother, who is past 70 and unable to judge conditions, and as his department heads humour him rather than risk having to seek another job when jobs are almost impossible to find, the result has been such that it would have absolutely killed our product if it were not that we were able to regain control, plus the fact that as we had retained the handling of original equipment business, we were able to see to it that samples went only to those whose requirements were not greater than our ability to handle them properly. We assume that your samples have been tested enough to prove their dependability, and might add that Ford- whose dealers have used many thousands of them the past two years- is so impressed by service data accumulated thereon, as to be at present conducting extensive field tests in the Rocky Mountains and also in the hot Southwest, with a view to adopting the feature as original equipment. Similarly at Chrysler, who have had the device on test for three years. One of the leading European carburetor companies having subsidiary factories in France, England, Germany, Italy and the U.S.A. etc, has recently started negotiations with us, so to this degree are entitled to first consideration. However they have no option or other binder as yet, hence if Mr. Clarke should still be interested, we would suggest that he write Cuno and ask for a less vague description of what Cuno claims to have found wrong. Meanwhile you might also if so inclined, have your New York office get information by long distance (when it will be given more freely than if put down on paper for possible competitors to see and show, etc) from E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} McLarty, the service manager at the Hudson factory, who has data on some 8,000,- also from T. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Naubert the Ford factory service official at Dearborn who has data on some 17,000, and lastly from Gil. F.{Mr Friese} Roddewig, the engineer at the G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} M.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} C. Truck Plant at Pontiac, who decided on the adoption of our System last winter on their new type rear-engine buses, and who has kept in close personal touch with customer-reports from the first, on this. Finally,- may we again express our appreciation at having been given this hint regarding Cuno. The writer, though an American, has never been in sympathy with that considerable strata of business ethics over here which is based on more or less misrepresentation of facts as to quality. We realise the unfavorable standing this Country has Abroad thereon, and hence feel Mr. Clarke was warranted in being on his guard. We trust however that the information this letter has sought to make available to him, will be taken advantage of, even though we cannot as already pointed out, promise that the field will continue open for negotiation. Very truly yours, ILLSLEY COMPANY [Signature] | ||