Another blow followed. I was called in to see Arthur Heinz, the formidable Purchase Director of Austin Rover Group. However, he conveyed to me he had agreed an all-encompassing deal with TRW Cam Gears on ARG steering.
This was related to the A&A closure, where Cam had taken over the production of all A&A rack and pinion steering. Cam also demanded the Metro Steering column, which had been in production at Rearsby since model inception! Heinz had agreed. We were to lose significant turnover, nearly £0.5m! "Don't worry”, said Arthur, “I will replace the lost turnover.”
He didn’t. He simply counted the next £0.5m orders we won from ARG. e.g. handbrake and gearshift for the Maestro/Montego. Work we would have won in any event. Indeed we had already secured these orders. In short, he did nothing for us and we lost half a million in turnover. Such was the dog-eat-dog world of the UK motor industry.
However, some years later, especially as I refused to sell the double head Thompson friction-welder bought especially for the Metro column, we were able to take back the Metro column plus the Mini steering column. The new ‘Corporate Man’ at Cam Gears had decided to get out of column production.