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).
Minutes of a conference discussing sales figures, stock levels, and a potential price reduction for the 40/50 chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 18\6\ Scan289 | |
| Date | 9th August 1921 | |
| 48A/B MINUTES OF CONFERENCE HELD AT THE MIDLAND HOTEL. 9TH AUGUST 1921. Present - CJ D Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} BJ Wor{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} BY LHS{Lord Herbert Scott} Rg{Mr Rowledge} Wd{Mr Wood/Mr Whitehead} C Mr.Maddocks. EWT PN{Mr Northey} Hr EFC H Hy{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} Sft{Mr Swift} Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Ha Rd Jn. (1) POSITION OF SALES. Erection instructions have been given for - 2018 chassis. Number of orders taken up-to-date/since the Armistice was - 1922 ---- Leaving - 96 Of which 12 are Trials' cars - 12 ---- This leaves a stock unsold, of - 84 We are expecting cancellations on the retail stock for - 23 ---- This would leave, awaiting sale - 107 Probable orders from abroad are - 22 ---- Leaving - 85 (For which there are no bids at present.) Before the reduction of price to £1850 we were losing 3.3 chassis per week, owing to cancellations, since the reduction we are selling 3.3 per week, after taking into account cancellations. Roughly it would mean about 20 weeks at 5 per week to clear our present stock. It was considered impolitic to make any further reduction in the price of the present 40/50, taking into consideration the position at present with regard to the small car coming on at its estimated selling price, and also it was thought that a further reduction in price would probably only cause an increase by world wide sales, except North America, of about 2 chassis per week. CJ. proposed as follows, and invited discussion - "That the number of people at the present time who could buy chassis costing more than £1000 is extremely limited, and that further reduction in price would not induce sufficient additional orders to justify it, from a point of view of finance and policy." Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} made the following statement - " That when the Goshawk is put on the market he thought the sale of the present 40/50 | ||