No. 74, April 2019 RB IN GOOD ALL CHANGE - BUT NO CHANGE! You may have heard that Rakesh spent thirty-two years at the HEALTH Kapoor is to retire as chief Company. Benckiser (RB) announced executive of Reckitt Benckiser at This change will not affect the RB th its financial results on 18 the end of 2019. The Company Pension Fund or February 2019 and these showed has said that it has your pension. that Revenue and Profits had started the increased from the previous year. recruitment A small deficit in the Fund was Rakesh Kapoor, Chief Executive process and is looking at internal identified at the Officer, said, “2018 was a year of last Actuarial good financial progress achieved and external candidates. Valuation in April in an environment of both 2016. The significant change and challenging Rakesh said, Company is market conditions. As we look to ”2020 will herald legally obliged to the future, the Company is well a new decade and make up this positioned for long term I believe that now deficit and has sustainable growth.” is a good time for been paying additional money The share price reacted favourably new leadership to take this great into the RB Pension Fund since to the results. Company through the next phase that date. The next Actuarial of outperformance”. It is encouraging to see the Valuation is in April 2019 and the Company continues to perform He will have been chief executive results will be available in due well, especially for those for more than eight years and has course. pensioners that are still shareholders! RB ACQUIRE Inside pages … 2019 Pension Increase UpSpring Get-togethers diary RPI for the year to December Shortly after the RB annual results were published, an announcement and regional updates 2018 was 2.7% and this will was made about this latest In Touch form the basis of the RB acquisition. pension increase in April UpSpring was founded in 2005 by The Wheels of 2019. three entrepreneurs who are Industry As in previous years, the committed to creating better Pensions Department will solutions for the challenges of Science & Innovation send each pensioner a motherhood. It has developed a broad portfolio for pre- and post- Centre update detailed breakdown of the natal needs from vitamins and application of this increase supplements to compression Made in Yorkshire and this letter should be hosiery. Awards received towards the end of UpSpring will continue to operate April. as a stand-alone entity. Obituaries Get-togethers Only two areas have held a get-together in the period between January and the time of going to press, with most regions starting to meet in late March and April. We look forward to seeing the attendees having a good time when we publish DIARY DATES 2019 the August edition! Forthcoming get-togethers: Norwich - sadly no photos Alistair Stewart tells us that their January meeting was a “quiet affair, with twelve CHISWICK/LONDON (W) people in attendance.” Alistair has provided us with this update on the Colman’s Thursday, March 28th at 12 noon situation: The Wheatsheaf Hotel, Virginia Water. As the closure of the Colman’s factory comes ever nearer, the plans to continue Contact Peter Moores, to mill mustard and process mint in Norfolk have passed another hurdle - the Tel 01276 34778 plans for a new production unit were passed by the local council in late January. [email protected] The new factory is planned to be built at the Greater Norwich Food Enterprise HIGH WYCOMBE Zone, near Honingham, just west of Norwich, and could be operational by the Wednesday, April 3rd at 12 noon end of 2019. It’s intended to build a mill with a 20 metre high milling tower and Brewers Fayre, Loudwater, silos, along with a plant to process mint. The processed ingredients would then be sent to Unilever’s Midlands factory, where the finished products will be made. High Wycombe. Contact Paul Gilliam The factory will initially provide 25 jobs but it is hoped to expand and provide ingredients around the world. It will protect the link between Colman’s and Tel 01494 562843 Norwich. It is welcomed as a new long-term partnership between Unilever and DERBY the mustard and mint growers in Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, who Tuesdays April 9th & Sept 10th have been supplying Colman’s for generations, and have helped to make it a world-class producer. Both at 10:30am The Potting Shed Cafe, The farmer backed company, Condimentum Ltd, is building the factory after Markeaton Garden Centre, securing a 10 year deal with Unilever. Markeaton Lane, Derby. Hull - Cheval Cafe, Contact Lorraine Mugleston Willerby Tel 01159 733753 A noisy crowd - just over twenty - got together on Wednesday 20th NOTTINGHAM February and, as the song goes, Tuesdays May 7th & Sep 24th “Reminiscin’, this-n-thatin’ Havin’ at 12 noon such a good time”. The Shepherds, Stragglethorpe, Radcliffe-on-Trent, Notts. A big thank-you … Contact Brian Bradley To the get-together hosts who take Tel 01526 321575 time out to arrange these events - LEICESTER and to those of you who come Tuesday April 23rd at 11:30am along. Oadby Owl, Glen Road Oadby, Leicester, … and don’t forget Contact Brian Bradley Been a while? Never tried one? Tel 01526 321575 Why don’t you put the next date in your diary and give it a go? NORWICH Tuesdays April 9th, July 9th & Oct 8th at 10:30am all at TECHNOLOGY: Flashback to 1985 If the tablets stopped feeding into the The White Horse, Trowse. Back in 1985, Reckitt News tells us that lanes, the LED triggered an alarm Contact Alistair Stewart the Disprin production team which enabled the line operator to take Tel 01603 436391 introduced fibre optic technology in prompt and appropriate action. This order to automate tablet detection. technology significantly reduced the HULL An LED (light number of Wednesdays, April 24th emitting diode) empty foils June 19th , September 11th, generated by a being sealed; October 23rd & December 4th at 11am small micro- that in turn Cheval Cafe, Willerby processor, sent a red light down the saved time Contact Phil Shearsmith fibre optic cable. A cable was placed sorting out empty or part filled foils Tel 07858 137 178 over each of the four tablet feed lanes, prior to being placed in cartons. It was [email protected] prior to the tablets being sealed in foils. estimated to have saved £11,500 per year. Page 2 iCONTACT April 2019 [email protected] or c/o Pensions Dept, http://www.icontactnewsletter.co.uk Reckitt Benckiser plc IN TOUCH Dansom Lane, Hull, HU8 7DS Centenary celebrations Norwich Nostalgia How many famous people have visited the Carrow site and the Mustard Shop over the years? Here are two photos from the early nineties showing Princess Anne in the Mustard Shop and the then Prime Minister, John Major on the Colman premises.

Our picture (above) shows Avyi Antoniou, with her son (Stelios), family members and friends, celebrating her 100th birthday on Monday, 7th January, 2019. Avyi and her husband came from Cyprus, to live and work in the UK. She worked at Winsor & Newton (Harrow) for many years. Avyi is as quick witted as ever and was able to explain the work she undertook whilst employed by the company. She constantly surprised Paul Gilliam by recalling conversations with George, his father. Unfortunately, as a result of a fall in her home, she is now living in Frithwood Nursing Home, Northwood and Stelios explained that, whilst Avyi Other well known visitors in the seventies were James has good care, she Callaghan (Prime Minister), Cilla Black, Richard Briers, Val understandably misses her Doonican and Tommy Cooper. The card Avyi received on her independence and social life. 100th birthday from the Queen Do you remember these visits, or other famous people dropping in? If so, let us know their names and any stories (good or bad!) Meltonian photos relating to their time with Colman’s staff.

Can you fill in the missing names? Edward and his brother Freddie were descendants of Brian Groom, son of Bert Groom, sent us an email with a Edward Brown, who started manufacturing Meltonian couple of photos attached. The first photo is of a during the reign of King George III. presentation being made by Mr Edward Brown with (he The second photo is of the production planning section. Bert thinks) Doris Luxton - his father, Bert, is on the right. (on the right) was a production manager, reporting to Miss Bell (second left). Brian thinks the other man might be Jack White. Brian remembers Miss Bell as a “very nice person, who moved to Hull prior to her r e t i r e m e n t ” . Who are the other two ladies?

Page 3 iCONTACT April 2019 The Wheels of Indus To continue the theme of transportation seen in recent issues of the problems compared to modern iContact magazine and prompted by an email from Brian (son of vehicles” Herbert Groom), we thought we’d take a look at mechanised road Chara’ outings transportation. The RB Heritage Centre has been an extremely useful The old magazines show many photos of how the lorries were being used and, resource in collecting this information and we acknowledge their by the sounds of things, they may have continued support to the magazine. been convertible for charabanc outings. The Priestman “Motor Dray” that was perhaps less of an issue. The One such outing in 1925 describes the In the late 1880’s, Reckitts wheels were solid, weighed 10 cwts Kingston and Canister Forewomen & commissioned the Priestman brothers each and used iron shoes for brakes. “Helpers” outing, which, with 60 to build a vehicle using a recently The lorry weighed 8 tons empty and 13 women set off from the Francis Reckitt patented engine, to be used for local tons with a full load. Institute on the evening of Monday, May 25th. deliveries. Presumably with a nod to its Electric lorries horse-drawn predecessors, it was Whilst electric vehicles are now the called a “Motor Dray”. future for the motor industry, it may seem surprising that it was back in the 1920’s that the company had a fleet of twelve vehicles, of which eleven were driven from batteries.

Three chara’s were contracted from McMaster’s Conveyances and the It was an innovative engine - the first in route taken was to Market Weighton, the world to run on paraffin. The via Cottingham and Beverley engine was 8 bhp, weighed 12 tons and Westwood; it stopped at the had a speed of 12mph. The legal limit Londesborough Arms in Market for the day was 3 tons and 5mph Weighton where the party ate “a (including a man walking in front with substantial supper”. After walking a red flag), so sadly this vehicle was too around the town, the home journey heavy and too fast! It was a magnificent was made via Cave, Ferriby and idea, but sadly was not progressed and The electric lorries were able to carry a Elloughton. They had a wonderful time proved to be a financial disaster for the 6 ton load and were made by A.E.G. and agreed that, “May was the ideal Priestman brothers. (Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft month for a country outing”. AG - the General Electricity All mod cons - or not … Company of Germany). They were That’s quite a journey to have made in The photo below dates to about 1920 powered by 160 volt batteries with two one evening, especially given the state and shows a Renault, the first lorry to motors placed on the rear axle - one for of the roads, likely speed and comfort replace horse and cart deliveries at the each rear wheel. On a full charge the of the chara’s - it makes you wonder lorries had a range of 50 miles what time they “got back to base”! and it cost 2 shillings and The Company Garage sixpence (or half a crown, Ours 1931 ran an article on the business approximating £13 in today’s garage that was located at Hull and, terms) to charge them up many will recall, was located off overnight. Chapman Street at the back of the FRI. Once again, with solid rubber After WWI it was apparently extended tyres on the wheels, these to fit 30 cars and housed cars from the vehicles were not yet being Rolls Royce to the ‘Baby Austin’. It says Nugget factory in Kennington. made for a comfortable ride. the car owners were board members, It was reported that these vehicles gave office and workshop employees (we There was no windscreen to keep out wonder who owned the Rolls!). the rain (apparently a cloth was hung a “yeoman service with an average life up) but, at a maximum speed of 8mph, of 10 years and very few servicing

Page 4 iCONTACT April 2019 try - rolling along The garage also housed “the Firm’s be made when using the dams on From the very early days the vehicles car”, a Crossley saloon. It was four vehicles at an average speed of 50mph. have been used to carry advertising, years old but said to do credit to a The first dams were made of glass- and what better way to spread the much newer car, bearing witness to the reinforced plastic. During rollout of the pride with which the garage staff took dams, Orde Turnbull, the fleet engineer, in their work. was already developing phase II - a Those hardworking garage staff also dam made of a special rubber that was provided a useful employee benefit - still rigid enough to do the job but had that of driving lessons and running enough “give” in order to avoid the repair and maintenance courses. How unavoidable knocks. good is that! Travelling Advertising message about your brands? Even as The demand for parking was the use of multi-media has expanded, extended to the yard beyond the the travelling ads still find a place. garage. Today, the car park at the And now … Hull site sprawls across a large At Hull, two to three trucks per day are swathe of the site and it’s understood sent to the Great Bear warehouse at that there are plans to create further Markham Dale (for UK distribution) parking places. and a similar amount go to DHL at Vehicle Improvements - 5% at 50 Tickhill (export). Global Procurement The oil crisis of the early 70s no doubt run a Global Logistics contract each contributed to the drive to save fuel, year, consequently some markets e.g. but, always at the forefront of Turkey and France (who take very large modernisation and modifications, quantities of Liquid Gaviscon!) send in Reckitt News (July 1979) reported that hauliers specifically to go to these the R&C fleet underwent a program of markets. improvement. The project borrowed Interestingly all of the containers are aerodynamic technology from Formula now temperature controlled at 15oC in 1 Grand Prix cars, to tackle fuel order to comply with the product consumption, principally that of using licence requirements. an air dam. For the uninitiated, an air dam is a sort Brian Groom sent us this email, along with the following photo (see the digital of “skirt” that sits below the front edition for a larger picture): bumper of a vehicle and deflects the air I am enclosing this old photograph of the new fleet of vehicles bought by away from the underside. Fraser Meltonian company circa 1960. My father Herbert (Bert) Groom worked for the Menzies said, “The natural tendency is company for many years before and after WW2. He is 2nd on the left with, I to look at ways of smoothing air think, George Davis far left and Norman Dickinson on the right. My memory around the vehicle - but when you look fails me as to the names of the other two drivers. Following the closure of the underneath a lorry and see all the factory in Oxgate Lane, my Father was relocated to Chiswick where he was a things sticking out which can cause production manager, retiring in around 1980. My father died in 1991, but my drag and turbulence, it is fairly obvious mother is still with us and will be 102 years old next month. I hope this photograph will be of interest to some of your older pensioners who may even have worked there. Do you know the other two drivers? Do you have any recollections of Bert Groom or tales from the Meltonian there must be fuel saving opportunities factory? Contact us at if you can deflect the air from the [email protected] underside.” After extensive testing it was shown that a 5% fuel saving could Page 5 iCONTACT April 2019 See more photos on-line in our digital edition at SCIENCE & INNOVATION CENTRE www.icontactnewsletter.co.uk Emma Smith, Communications Manager, brings us this report: The new £105m Science and Innovation Centre in Hull combines a state-of-the-art R&D facility with the talent and passion to deliver the latest discoveries and innovation in consumer health. It brings together a refurbished Grade II listed building (KWN) and a new development of bespoke laboratory space, connected by the Innovation Pathway. The offices within KWN have been designed to be used as agile work and meeting spaces that foster collaboration. We look forward to the new centre opening later in 2019. World-leading capabilities provided by the new centre include: •13,000m2 bespoke laboratory environment (analytical, formulation, microbiology) •10th scale pilot plant that emulates what the factory does across all formats, to drive quality standards, Above: The Analytical Laboratory safety and efficiencies Below from left: The Formulation Laboratory; Product Innovation Suite for consumer-led research The Pilot Plant & The Innovation Suite includes showers and bathrooms for testing products, such as Scholl and .

Restored busts return For some weeks now, Rosina Baxter (RB Heritage Centre) has missed greeting the marble bust of our renowned business ancestor, Sir James Reckitt - only the sad and empty plinth remained. Sir James, along with Thomas Ferens and Francis Reckitt, had been sent to Burrows Davies Ltd. for a “scrub and brush-up”. On the 4th February, the three gentleman were returned (safely, but rather irreverently in wooden crates) to the Heritage Centre, prior to being installed in the refurbished Humber Suite at Hull. Burrows Davies Ltd are a high quality masonry, conservation and restoration company, situated at Strensall, on the outskirts of York. They also restored the Memorial fountain, shown in iContact 73, which now sits in the beautiful landscaped grounds, situated outside of the new R&D facility. The empty plinth; Sir James Reckitt; the crates and the memorial statue - “Sacrifice”. Page 6 iCONTACT April 2019 FACELIFT

Left: The Humber Suite Above: One of the new Office areas Hull Factory wins two “Made in Yorkshire” awards Apprentice of the Year Healthcare Company - Biggest Impact After winning “Apprentice of the Year”, Harry Westcott, from RB was also named as the health company with the biggest impact Kingswood, Hull, East Yorkshire, who expects to become a in Yorkshire and beyond in the awards and will go on to compete qualified electrical technician later this year, will now compete against pharmaceutical, biomedical, biotechnology, health product against those from other regions across Britain at the Made in the and medical devices companies across other regions in the Made in UK Awards. the UK Awards. Harry became interested in engineering from a young age. Both his Established in Hull in 1840 and with a 179-year heritage in the city, father and grandfather are RB researches, develops many of its Niall O’Brien, Harry Westcott, Dean Richmond and Rob Green engineers and encouraged Harry compelling Health products in Hull – to join them in restoring classic Gaviscon, Mucinex, Nurofen and – Volkswagen Beetles. He firmly and sells them to consumers in over 200 believes that it was this hobby countries. that led to his interest in design RB is one of the region's biggest and innovation. employers, with around 1400 Hull-based Instead of going to University, staff, predominantly in science-based and Harry decided on an manufacturing roles. apprenticeship, realising that this RB is committed to developing the next could provide an entry into generation of scientists and has a number further education in the future. of initiatives to inspire young people in Through his apprenticeship, science, technology, engineering and Harry has become an maths: accomplished engineer, achieving • RB has supported local Science NVQ Level 3 and is close to Technology Engineering and Maths completing his HNC. (STEM) education for many years. The Harry is already completing tasks original endowment for the University of that qualified engineers perform Hull was provided by Reckitt director and is proactively working to Thomas Ferens in 1928. expand his knowledge beyond • RB is a founding partner of Ron Dearing his current role into control panels and programmable logic University Technical College (UTC), a new school concept controllers (PLCs). combining academic study in technical and scientific subjects with He is also instrumental in mentoring other apprentices that are employer-led practical projects. The company also offers younger than him, demonstrating strong leadership skills that will apprenticeships, year-in-industry and graduate roles, as well as support his career progression and add value for the company. direct entry opportunities in R&D and Manufacturing. Harry said: "'I'm ecstatic and shocked that I won! I'm very happy to Hull has long been the home of healthcare innovation, including have done RB and our engineering department proud. The award Dettol and numerous products across brands, such as Nurofen, is a great motivator to keep on progressing here at RB." , Optrex, Gaviscon and Scholl. Niall O'Brien, RB Hull Supply Site Lead & Operations Manager, Bruce Charlesworth, RB Hull R&D Site Lead and VP, said: "With a said: "I'm delighted for Harry. He is a fantastic example of the RB long local heritage, a clear purpose of putting health in the hands core values. He is a hugely talented asset for our Hull site and I of our consumers and a passion for innovation, RB is uniquely look forward to watching his career flourish.” positioned as a world-leading consumer health business. We have a local presence with a truly global impact." Page 7 iCONTACT April 2019 OBITUARIES

Once again we are sad to record the deaths of our pensioners and former colleagues, who are listed in the columns below; remarkably, they include thirteen nonagenarians and one centenarian. NORTHERN SOUTHERN EASTERN Hull (unless otherwise stated): Chiswick: Norwich: Jacqueline Mayes (aged 79) 13 Vera Marston (83) 17 Brian Walter Bobbin (84) 12 years of service Lilian Panter (90) 28 Roy Noller (86) 40 June Harbord (76) 13 Timothy Simon Howden (81) 16 Michael Henry Powell (62) 11 Marjorie Maud Watts (96) 4 Anthony Charles Gray (78) 23 Clara Johnson (80) 21 Enfield: Fine Art & Graphics Bryan Frederick Savage (86) 14 Irene Elizabeth Webster (92) 34 Keith Garside (78) 23 Bernard John Robinson (74) 15 Kathleen Mary Haley (95) 11 Edward Joseph Ward (92) 11 Sylvia Coates (82) 14 Wealdstone: Fine Arts & Frood White Liggat (93) 28 Jean Devine (91) 19 Graphics Derek Edmund Smith (84) 16 Benjamin Arthur Dryden (79) 11 Dullabhji Premji Mandalia (76) 8 Peter J Harvatt (97) 33 Michael Lavelle (85) 8 OTHER Reginald Thomas (92) 29 Cocker Chemicals: Victor McClure (89) 19 Derby Leslie Walker (101) 22 Walter Kell (98) 45 Michael James Cope (75) 10 David Symons (74) 19 Firelighters: Gordon Charles Ainsworth (83) 29 Jeyes: Alan Cook (79) 33 Malcolm B Jackman (81) 38 Marjorie Constance Hobbs (93) 9 Graham Alfred Brewster (69) 24 Eric Beeston (94) 47 Evelyn Pickering (93) 16 If you have any recollections or Services Division: memories of former colleagues, please Gail Jackman (65) 9 Hull HQ: email them to us and we will endeavour to print them in our next Paul Ronald Tuton (68) 7 Beris Thornton (87) 17 issue. some time before a lump is detected) and underwent More on Reckitt’s as a appropriate treatment before symptoms developed. The service was further extended to include the wives of Healthcare Leading Employer male employees on the Hull site and additionally to the Following the article we ran in iContact 73 about the way women at Reckitt depots (country-wide). The ladies at the Reckitts offered chest X-rays to employees, we thought it depots were able to use the mobile breast would be interesting to look at another screening unit owned by Marks & Spencer similar health situation. By co-incidence, (another forward-sighted employer), when the this article, first published in the November unit was in a nearby M&S store. 1986 edition of Reckitt News, also has a “radiology” slant. The article also reported that the Health Centre went one step further in the fight At this point in time, the NHS was offering against the biggest killer of women over 40, breast scans to women who wanted or with Flo Crawley (senior nursing officer) needed a scan, but only to women who arranging videos for all female employees were referred by a GP. Invariably, those about self-examination - another essential tool women presenting themselves had already in the fight against breast cancer. detected a lump. Once again, R&C is found amongst the top In 1986, at the instigation of the employers, leading the way in supporting and Pharmaceutical Division’s Health providing access to preventive healthcare for department, a free-of-charge breast its employees. screening service was offered to women aged over 40 and employed on the Dansom Two years later, the NHS launched the breast Lane site. Those women taking up the opportunity (95%) screening program that women today are familiar with - an were transported to Hull Royal Infirmary and screened by invitation to have a mammography every three years from experts. Importantly, these women benefitted from early the age of 50. detection of cancerous cells (which can be present for quite Produced by the Reckitt Benckiser Pensioners’ Association, Dansom Lane, Hull, HU8 7DS Page 8 iCONTACT April 2019 Science & Innovation Centre

The Analytical laboratory

Above: The Formulation Laboratory

Left & above: The Pilot Plant Right: Above: The Innovation Suite

Page 9 iCONTACT April 2019 The Humber Suite

Do you recognise any of these drivers? Contact us at rbcontactmag@gmail. com

Page 10 iCONTACT April 2019 Yorkshire Winners

Bruce Charlesworth, Jane Warwick, Clare Walker & Niall O’Brien

Harry Westcott, winner of the “Apprentice of the Year” award

Page 11 iCONTACT April 2019