Monitoring Comart’s manufacturing reorganisation before driving to the Manchester branch on a dull and drizzly day and dining and staying overnight with Peter and Jane King
On time to the office and first an hour with Carlton Lowe and Derek Morgan briefing them on the conclusions of the Board Meeting. The Directors do want to see a proposal within the month for reorganising the factory area for flow of production and also modular manufacture using a piece part store. The rejected and faulty £30,000 + worth of tandem drives can go back now that Teac’s are fully available. Carlton is planning a considerable tightening up of the working areas including the exclusion of food and drink and seeks the agreement of Service and Stores in this respect.
Then to review the mail and after meetings with John Lamb and Derek Weatherby to discuss Product Support tasks and the organisation of our group finance personnel. Before lunch to sign the payroll until Geoff Lynch arrives from Southampton to discuss Xitan’s personnel situation and plans. I brief Geoff on my plans to protect group trademarks and trading styles and reorganise the group company structure and he quite likes the ”Group Micro” name. Early afternoon to gather papers together for my two meetings tomorrow and a panic to leave for Manchester on time. I drop home to change and collect my suitcase, leave at 4.00pm and arrive after a trouble free journey at 6.45pm.
The weather today was fine and warm in St Neots. As I journeyed up the A1 the cloud and drizzle got thicker until crossing the Pennines it was positively dark and wet. Driving into Manchester and down the hills it became fine and sunnier again which shows what a dramatic variance of weather we can get in the country.
News today of the uneasy ceasefire holding in Lebanon with truce talks held under British forces protection in the neutral zone. The ground search for IRA escapees goes on and a mounting clamour from the health service unions builds the controversy over the government’s insensitive cutbacks in the DHSS. Thatcher is visiting Canada and receives a mixed reception. A useful evening undertaking training for Manchester’s new manager, Robin Pimlott in personnel matters and then to Peter King’s house for a pleasant meal with his wife Jane and there to stay overnight in their spare bedroom.