Duple great again!
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RITAIN'S second largest coachbuilder is one of the prizes the estair group is looking for in its all-equity takeover bid for Duple iternational (CM, May 28) writes NOEL MILLIER.
Duple Coachbuilders accounts ir about 60 per cent of Duple iternational turnover but has ad a relatively unsuccessful me recently, but great changes ave taken place, aimed at res)ring Duple's dominance of the larket regardless of the result f Hestairs bid.
Managing director Dick West as been in charge at Duple for ver a year, and admits candidly at if Duple did disappear from le scene, his present competi)rs would have no problem lling the gap. • He sees the coach market welling off at about 1,900 units year and feels the majority of iese will be 12m single-deckrs. He believes that demand for le traditional body-on-chassis oncept will go on declining with corresponding increase in the emand for integral vehicles. By bout 1990, he predicts, the umber of integrals sold will qual the number of traditional oaches.
Duple's Neoplan-based Cariblean high-floor integral is deigned to compete with Ley3nd's Royal Tiger Doyen and ntegrals from Europe and lealer outlets are being sought or it at present.
The Mercedes-powered unlerframe was chosen to ensure hat the vehicle would enjoy .trong service back-up in iurope, and a version for the iuropean market could follow )efore long. The Caribbean inteIra! will be cheaper in Britain han the West German-built ■ leoplan Jetliner. Duple has built a lowfloor integral based on the Dutch Bova underframe. This vehicle, the Calypso, is to be built for and supplied to the Moseley Group (it has a stake in Bova) and will be marketed by Moseley, which has high hopes of volume sales next season.
The influx of European coach bodies during the late Seventies and the introduction of Plaxton's new range last year make the introduction of new Duple models essential. The Laser and Caribbean were launched at the last Motor Show and are now in production.
Their introduction involved some heavy development costs which together with the general fall in demand and fierce competition all contributed to an overall loss last year of £711,000.
The new models feature some changes in the method of construction including the introduction of stretched steel one piece side panels, and Duple took the opportunity to review its production facilities.
As a result the Vicarage Lane plant has undergone some major reorganisation.
A new system of storage racks has been installed near the major body structure jigs to minimise the movement of both raw materials and finished subassemblies.
New jigs for the construction of Laser and Caribbean body sides have been installed as well as floor jigs designed initially to accommodate the Volvo B1OM and Leyland Tiger.
Numerically controlled machines have been installed for the bending of side pillars and roof sticks. A microchipcontrolled multi-spindle drill has
Dick West: Crystal ball gazing.
been installed to automatically pre-drill rivet holes for the attachment of roof panels to roof sticks.
New spray booths have been installed on the production line to allow the completed frame work to be sprayed with a two pack epoxy material for protection against corrosion.
A new overhead crane and "marry-up" jig has been installed to allow body sides, floor, roof and ends to be joined together to form the structure.
While new methods and machinery have combined to improve the quality of Duple products, and will eventually make production more economic, the company now has to recoup as much of its investment as possible while mirroring the changes in the market place.
It is for this reason that Duple is not keen to body one-off or small production run chassis with its Laser or Caribbean bodies as this would involve prototype development work or alterations to the jigs.
At present, only Leyland Tiger and Volvo B1OM can be fitted with the Caribbean body, and these chassis and the Bedford YNT with the normal height Laser. Daf chassis will be the next to be available, once the floor jigs are adapted.
Mr West sympathises with chassis manufacturers who would like to offer their products with Laser or Caribbean bodies. Ward Motors and, ironically, Hestair Dennis with its Dorchester chassis, want the Duple option, but unless the demand for chassis is relatively substantial it is difficult for Duple to justify the development work needed to be able to body them.