1984 ... eventful year Managing Director's Report New name- Staying in 1984 has been another modestly successful year for the Company. As same pedigree the lead you will all know, we changed our Members of the company team We remain Europe's leading name at the end of August to GEC producer and the UK's top exporter Avionics and I am happy to say that now work together under a new this change has been quite well name, GEC Avionics Limited. This of avionics, enabling us to sustain received by our customers who, by identifies, to other people, our long­ the size of our team during a period and large, welcome the established role as a major part of when many companies have disappearance of confusion between Britain's largest electronic and declined. ourselves and other Marconi electrical company. Whether, as companies. individuals, our origins go back to This year, we have done considerably those of Marconi, in 1895, or of better than we anticipated in Elliott, in 1799, we carry forward acquiring new orders and, as I write, the skills and experience with which our order intake is up on last year's we have together learned to by almost 30%. However, our succeed in world markets. deliveries to customers have also increased, the net result being an order backlog increase of just over 10%. SALES AND EXPORTS TOTAL EMPLOYEES UK FACTORY SPACE These improvements in orders have 12000 3 not, however, reflected significantly ~ into the number of people we employ ..,. ~ 10000 ~ TotalSalev which has, so far, during the year, V ~ risen by only about 100. This is t..,.... ~ Total 8000 l/ -' 1- ",2 -t;r partly a reflection of considerable cj- ~ j~ ~B asildon improvements in productivity, both in o'" , Establishment I ~ 6000 engineering departments and in c '" production, as a result of the EXP;::' ~ ~ /' Borelham~ood ~ ~ A ~ Establishment ~ substantial investments which the AV 4000 1 ~ , , P company has made in computer­ -.... ! ~ .., I" 'f- .r , Rochester ..., .., ~ .- aided design, improved assembly 2000 Establishment ", facilities and automatic test .... --- equipment. In addition to this, however, the ever­ 1976 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 1976 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 1976 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 increasing number of components which can be packaged onto a single silicon chip results automatically in a smaller requirement for our own assembly effort, whilst the demand How others saw us for test and inspection will probably continue to rise. An important event was the change The British Army Equipment of an airliner's tyres (PSD) and a of our company name, from Exhibition drew attention to the system for providing digitised Looking a bit further to the future, Marconi Avionics Limited to GEC company's activities in areas other moving colour maps (GSD). the annual increase in the UK defence budget which has occurred Avionics Limited. We have for some than aerospace. So did widespread Our sponsorship of the GEC under the current administration is time been independently managed reports of CQD's Electro-Magnetic unlikely to be maintained, and we from The Marconi Company and Compatibility testing of car Avionics National Gliding must look to a levelling off of home the name change, which was well­ electronics for Ford and other Championships was well publicised defence procurement in the foresee­ publicised, is to avoid confusion. leading car manufacturers. by the National and trade able future. media. APD announced two new To maintain a reasonable rate of In 1984, our capabilities and contracts at the end of the year, The Farnborough Air Show gave expansion and, therefore, our total activities across a wide range of involving AD620K navigation successful publicity to no fewer than labour force, it will become more and products and programmes, received systems, for the Italian company 10 of our products and more essential to obtain orders from world-wide publicity. The year Aermacchi and AD660 Doppler programmes. The Foxhunter AI foreign customers and a great deal of began with two major order Velocity Sensors for CASA, of effort is currently being put into this Radar made its public debut and announcements: AD3400 (APD) for Spain. aspect of our business. the MOD, and AQS-902 (MASD) the company co-sponsored the for the Royal Swedish Navy. New FBW Jaguar which flew each day. Marshal of the Royal Air Force May I take this opportunity of thanking you all for your efforts products publicised included We also announced ADD's contract Sir Michael Beetham became a to supply the new F-16 CID HUD during the past year and wishing you ORlON automatic test equipment Director of our company and a very happy Christmas. (ATED) and FASTAR, a portable MASD's order from the Indian Navy Air Commodore 'Reggie' Spiers radar for battlefield surveillance for AQS-902 and their nomination joined us as a Marketing Executive. (APhyD). TICM II (E-OPD) orders by Fokker to equip F27 Maritime The news that top designer were announced for tanks and Enforcer aircraft. Among the Staff Ellis had won GEe's J E Pateman CBE Rapier missile guidance and highly innovative products announced, Lord Nelson Gold Medal gave Managing Director successful US flight trials of a FUR were a unique method of pleasure to everyone and was well GEC Avionics limited pod were reported. measuring the internal temperature reported. 6th December 1984 Rochester Establishment covers Rochester, Nailsea, Yeovil, and Byfleet Foreword by Business performance at Rochester and central departments. The Foreword by While most Flight Group turnover has Future growth is confidently based on W H Alexander OBE, continues to improve and, in spite of increased use of microprocessors and R W Howard, come from long running programmes this balanced mixture of existing and Assistant Managing Director of GEC Avionics our general concern about the dearth word processors has also improved Director and General Manager of such as Tornado, Cobra, Boeing 747 new products, projects and business Limited and chief executive for the Rochester of new aircraft programmes, both sales our efficiency and I should like to pay GEC Avionics Limited and the chief executive and Lynx, these are all past their areas. Establishment and order books are being maintained. tribute to the way that all employees responsible for CACO, FARL, FeD, lSD, peak production rates and efforts are The principal manufacturing divisions Exports account for well over half of are taking in their stride the rapid PeSO and PSD. directed to finding new opportunities are ably supported by the newly our sales and whilst the United States changes in technology. for profitable future production. formed Power Conversion Systems remains our largest overseas market, Division and by FARL we are achieving success in many The EMC facility of CQD, re-housed In addition to maintaining our lead in parts of the world, especially in the and expanded at Gads HiII,is one of traditional markets, we are seeking to With successes in the Magnus and avionics retro-fit business. the few of its type in the countl)1 and develop new products and services. Montanazo programmes and studies continues to be well used, even by With the Phoenix programme, FCD on underwater vechicles, Offshore During the year we have made some outside customers such as the motor anticipates a new area of business. Projects Group is acquiring the progress towards developing more of car industry. Personnel, Works Similarly, CACD has made strong reputation needed for future growth. the control of the business into two Engineering and Accounts Depart­ proposals for management of a major groups of divisions under ments have given valuable service While working to consolidate our A-4 retrofit programme and is Peter Hearne and Ron Howard by during the year. Works Engineering market position, the efficiency of working on Long Range Stand-Off strengthening their teams with some are currently drawing up plans for the internal operations has not been Missiles with Boeing, British senior appointments. The use of the space in the main factory, neglected. Substantial investment has Aerospace and MBB. ISO is organization chart printed below illus­ vacated by Fishers. The Canteen is been made in computer aids for developing new products for ejection trates this grouping. In line with this appreciated by visitors from our design, development, manufacturing seat control and ice detection. PSD movement I have invited Peter and customers as well as by the regular and administration, supplemented by is developing Maintenance Data Ron to make their own reports for users. The recent dinner for the Long recruitment and training of the Panels and Standby Instruments for their parts of the Company and I Service Association was superbly highest quality staff. shall restrict my comments to some EAP while flight tests of a Tyre done. Against this background we can face points of general interest. Temperature Monitor continue on a Our ability to sell competitively BAe 146. the future with confidence. throughout the world is largely The most noticeable sign of progress dependent on the quality of our in looking round the establishment,is designs and it was a pleasure to see the considerable increase in the use Combat Aircraft Controls ground station equipment for the SCADC and SPEARFlSH, development this recognised by the award of the of computers to accomplish the Division continues manufacturing Uanbedr range. Production for Boeing projects are under way, including PCUs Nelson Gold Medal for Design to Tornado AFCS with over 500 equip­ 747, BAC1·11, Lynx, Rapier and for EAP, EH101 and LAPADS commercial and technical tasks. The Staff Ellis. area occupied by EDP has been re­ ment sets delivered. Prototype AM-X unmanned aircraft continues.