Page 172 - It's a Rum Life Book 3 "Ivy House Tales 1970 to 1984"

CHAPTER 32

THE LINCOLN SPIV

For several years we had managed to run a small distribution business, initially with just
one lorry then 6 or so, working up to 14 in the good times.
In earlier years I had worked for the American tyre manufacturer Firestone when they had
been world number two.
There had been some very good times with Firestone thanks to my Boss Fred Popham.
We had always managed to achieve sales targets, careful to make it not look too good you
will understand!
Nobody could put one over on Fred, he had been brought up at the time of American
prohibition. He had actually been to Chicago and seen Al Capone in action. There is more
of Fred and Firestone Lincoln in another tale.
Our firm specialised in moving tyres, and solely thanks to very good relations with ex
Firestone client Harry Thorne the company was awarded a contract for distribution of
Uniroyal products in the East Midlands.
This moved us up from a very small operation with all very second-hand vehicles into a
medium sized company with new trucks on the road and a good national image!

STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL
Uniroyal eventually became fickle and difficult with us as our specialist knowledge of the
area we served was superior to theirs and we tended to wag the dog from time to time.
This lucrative contract was not going to last forever and after the unfortunate theft at our
Loughborough depot we could work out exactly just how long we had left.
Tyres had been my life then for almost 20 years and I had developed some very good
trade contacts.
After much research and discussion within the trade locally, I earnestly believed that there
was an opening for a specialist truck tyre remould operation within our counties of
Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.

(Pictures:
Right Truck tyre retread machinery.

Below;
A truck tyre with new tread.

The market was certainly there and I initially
discussed the idea with the main local
independent tyre dealers to get their support
for a consortium to produce retreads with their own individual brand names.
This would have given them local buying and quality control; and the chance to market a
guaranteed product with their own individual tyre brand names. Their savings could have
been considerable.

172