Evening all, Leyland Ash, you bring an interesting perspective to this discussion.
When I was working alongside the US Mack Dealers to market the little Midliners, one of my Allentown colleagues had worked closely with the Israel Ashod plant. From memory the first Mack importation had been in association with the Haifa based plant of Kaiser-Frazer, back in the 50s when Ed Bransome was president of Mack. I understand that the intention was to market the Israel assembled Macks to some of the southern Mediteranian countries, and also to Turkey, although little came of it.
You are correct Leyland withdrew in 1973, although they retained some financial interest in the jointly owned, (CNEC/Leyland), 100plus acre Ashod plant up untill 1978. My colleague told me that the concern of Mack at that time, Mack having signed a collaboration with the Israel Government to supply CKD kits R600, DM800, MBs, F, and FM700 series for assembly at the Ashod plant, was that the plant was proposing to assemble a hybrid Mack/Leyland. This would comprise “stock” Leyland componenTS, Super Beaver 6x2 chassis, Leyland drive axle, Mack engine and transmision, with the Sheller-Globe DM type bonneted cab, (as per Brockway),but with Leyland front lights. The model designation from memory was E190. This vehicle, (and Ibelieve only a very few were built), could have become a “National” Israel manufactured lorry.
However Mack prevailed and CKD assembly was carried out, somewhere in one of my systems I have some Hebrew Mack brochures on the DM800s, and Fseries, that I “removed” from Allentown!
To return to Leyland, and the unbelievable, (with hindsight) managerial decisions. They acquire AEC, and all of its overseas subsidiaries, yet fail to build on their success. They close the door on the South American market, by shutting AECs assembly plant, which also builds BMC, before they have signed a contract to set up a Leyland facility, and bang ,the implementation of local content requirements come into force in the interim!
In Europe they do the same, AEC have a collaboration with French builder Willeme, whereby all Willeme heavies are AEC powered, and marketed through the 400plus French outlets, alongside BMC lorries as Willeme BMC. The French market is moribund, and Willeme need financial help, (and Leyland at that time were an extremely profitable company). Yet help, in the form of a controlling interest is denied, Willeme fails, and Leyland try to strike a deal with struggling Hotchkiss to assemble Leyland products…its very short lived!
Europe at that time was a collection of different markets, and Leyland owned Brossel in Belgium, licence builders of Gardner engines. Brossel had introduced their Euro range, with the GRP Vista Vue cab…it never got off the ground, Leyland closed them down, as they did with AECs operation.
Why this massive contraction of overseas market potential? True the UK market was the strongest in Europe, and Leyland were very profitable. Was it UK political influence, or just plain Managerial incompetence?? Probably we shall never know, for the final decline of “British Leyland” assumes the most importance in research, yet the seeds of decline were sown much earlier. Personally I would consider incompetence, and sychophantic managerial style to be the root cause. Having some experience of working within a the management of a large vehicle producer I am aware that personal rivalries, clashes of personality, and just plain incompetence can affect decision making to the most disasterous effect , (and in turn produce the most peculiar vehicle specifications, severely limiting their marketability).
I shall away, and drown these sad thoughts with copious Bollinger, for its been a good day cutting grass, and gathering up that cut earlier, , the sun shines, and all is well…untill the rain clouds cometh!!
Cheerio for now.