New chief for Cowley
11 December 1970
One of the motor industry's most experienced production experts. 39- year-old Mr. Frank Tilsdon is moving to British Leyland to take charge of its redeveloped and expanded Cowley car complex near Oxford. Until a fortnight ago he was Chryslers chief executive in the Midlands.
British Leyland comfirmed last night that Mr. Tilsdon will take up his appointment as director and general manager at Cowley from next Monday. Mr. Tilsdon spent several years in Canada and the United States working for Chrysler, then became production manager of Ford's Dagenham plant. In 1966 he left to join Rootes, which later became part of Chrysler.
At Chrysler's plants in Coventry he carried through a complete reorganization of production machinery and methods including the replacement of piecework by measured day work. The successful Avenger on which Chrysler's recovery hopes are firmly pinned was the first fruit of this work. A similar situation faces him at Cowley, except that most of the technical updating and expansion has already taken place.
More news from the archive
Thu, 03 Dec 1970
By R. W. Shakespeare The British Leyland management has made its first move in a bid to end the traditional piece-work system among...
Fri, 04 Dec 1970
By R. W. Shakespeare Five thousand British Leyland car workers will lose their jobs in a large-scale reorganization of the corporation's...
Sat, 05 Dec 1970
By Clifford Webb Midland Industrial Correspondent Mr. George Turnbull, managing director of British Leyland's loss making Austin-Morris...
Mon, 07 Dec 1970
British Leyland Motor Corporation workers yesterday mounted their first moves in opposition to last week's announcement by the group...
Tue, 08 Dec 1970
By Clifford Webb Midland Industrial Correspondent Eight thousand Triumph car workers, the entire manual labour force, went on strike...
Tue, 22 Dec 1970
By Clifford Webb Midland Industrial Correspondent British Leyland faces a ban on overtime and recruitment of new labour throughout...
Tue, 29 Dec 1970
Triumph workers, in Coventry have been told they must produce 3,000 cars each week to overcome losses estimated at several million...
Fri, 01 Jan 1971
DAILY EXPRESS NEW STRIKE HITS CAR GIANTS By David Jack Thousands of car workers at giant car factories in the Midlands will kick off...
Wed, 06 Jan 1971
A voluntary six-month standstill on wage claims has been agreed to by the 4500 workers at British Leyland's truck and tractor plant...
Thu, 07 Jan 1971
THE GUARDIAN By John Coyne Strikes cost British Leyland, Britain's biggest exporter, £30 millions to £40 millions in lost profits...
