GENERAL MOTORS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21715, 24 February 1936, Page 12

GENERAL MOTORS

MANAGING DIRECTOR TO RETIRE

MB W. M'HARDY FORMAN'S WORK

It was announced in Wellington last week that Mr W. McHardy Forman will shortly retire from the position of managing director of General Motors, New Zealand, Ltd. At the request of the parent company in America, Mr Forman will remain permanently in the Dominion as resident director, to act in an advisory capacity.

In the eight years during which Mr Forman has been in office there have been remarkable developments in the motor trade. In 1927 the assembling of completely knocked-down cars shipped from parent factories overseas was in its infancy. Under Mr Forman's guidance much intensive research and application in production, merchandising, and marketing operations were carried out, and many new processes have been tested and put into operatipn. Throughout the whole ot this period it has been Mr Forman's policy to encourage the use ot all possible materials which can be obtained locally. As long as seven years ago Mr Forman conducted experiments in the use of New Zea-land-made upholstery in motor-cars, and it was only after two years of persistent endeavour in close association with the local woollen mills that the type and quality of the material required was arrived at. To-day New Zealand-made material is unquestionably as good a-i any obtainable anywhere in the world.

New Zealand Wood Mr Forman also sponsored the use of New Zealand timber in building commercial bodies, and was responsible for the installation of a boay-builcUng department in the company's plant at Petone so that home-grown timbers might be used. Indeed, it is largely through Mr Forman's initial expenements that such- large quantities of New Zealand beech are now exported to Australia for use in motor-body building and other industries in the Commonwealth. The recent enquiries from English manufacturers are also directly traceable to Mr Forman's early efforts. Mr Forman's policy of spending as much money as possible in satisfying the requirements locally has by no means been confined to the purchase of materials. Since he took over the managing directorship the factory, administration, and sales staffs have become wholly British. Rather than bring qualified men from overseas to fill positions which Mr Forman felt strongly should be occupied by New Zealanders, he has adopted what is perhaps the more troublesome alternative, of training New |Zealanders to take their proper places in an organisation which seeks so far as is humanly possible to produce a New Zealand article by New Zealanders for New Zealanders. A striking illustration of what he has done in this regard is provided by the glass department, which was installed at Petone for the purpose of cutting and grinding all glass used m the company's products. Under his direction, General. Motors laid the foundation of the assembly in New Zealand of completely knocked-down motor vehicles. For this pioneering work Mr Format) was eminently fitted by the numerous world tours which he had previously undertaken on behail of his company. The establishment by other concerns of assembly factories in New Zealand is an eloquent tribute to his early work. Not only has Mr Forman welcomed this development on the part of other companies, but he has advised them in the establishment of their plants. Mr Forman left by the Monowai on Friday on a business visit to Sydney. _______„_».