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25 Years of Dramatic Change - Part 3 |
Avon Reifen's exhibition
stand at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show featured a sports car
which was towed from England by the Publicity Manager |
In 1969, Avon Reifen began operations
in Dusseldorf, Germany. This marketing arm was set up to promote
sales of Avon tyres in the Federal Republic of Germany. Avon
Reifen was very successful as news of the quality of Avon
tyres spread, helping to improve the safety of travel on the
German Autobahn roads where there is no speed limit.
The tyre company also continued to expand in
Britain where Howcroft Tyre & Battery Company Limited
was purchased in 1970. This tyre distributor was integrated
into the blossoming Motorway Tyres distribution chain, and
Avon won an order from Volkswagen to supply tyres to the famous
Volkswagen Beetle. |
In the early 1970s
the decision was made to expand Avon Medicals into the highly
demanding business of designing and producing disposable blood
transfusion sets and also dialysis equipment for patients
suffering from kidney disease. In February 1970, an order
came in from the Crown Agents to the Colonies for 13,000 blood
administration sets which were needed urgently. They were
despatched to the Nigerian Red Cross in Lagos on the same
day.
In 1972 a 33 per cent shareholding was acquired in another
specialist company, Lippiatt Hobbs and Co Ltd. Based in Westbury,
Wiltshire, the business had been formed to develop and market
new products for the repair and maintenance of gas distribution
networks. The company was re-named Avon Lippiatt Hobbs. |
Avon Medicals, Capon Heaton, Birmingham
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Avon Industrial Polymers was
actively reinforcing its reputation for innovation and technical
excellence. Following the granting of a licence by the National
Economic Development Council to develop and manufacture hovercraft
skirt components, work had been undertaken with leading hovercraft
manufacturers such as Vosper-Thorneycroft and the British
Hovercraft Corporation. In recognition of Avon's contribution
to this form of transport, the Department of Trade and Industry
awarded the company a contract in January 1973 to carry out
development work on behalf of the hovercraft industry. This
had the stated objective of improving the life and performance
of skirt materials by at least ten percent, a target which
was greatly exceeded.
With little evidence of the desperate economic problems which
ahead, Avon continued to grow and diversify. The tyre division
was expanding the scope if its distribution network with the
opening of new depots at Birmingham, Glasgow, Reading, Leeds
and Newcastle making a total of over 140 branches in the UK
and Ireland.
In the early months of 1973, a new division was formed at
Bridgend, grouping together products such as remould tyres
and materials, wheel and undergear equipment, and the marketing
of footwear and industrial tyres. Avon Medicals began to develop
the export side of the business by opening a marketing company
in Dietzenbach, West Germany.
At Melksham, Avon Ames Ltd was formed as the result of a joint
venture between Avon Industrial Polymers and the Ames Rubber
Corporation of the United States. Avon Ames designed, developed
and manufactured reprographic roller coverings for the high
speed copying machines which were quickly becoming an essential
feature of modern business life. |
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