THE JOURNAL OF THE PLYSU GROUP No.

9 Summer 1973

HOW WE MADE
AN EXHIBITION
OF OURSELVES!
SHOW them what you're worth ... that's
how the saying goes. And that's what Plysu's
been doing.
At the Housewares Fair in Cologne, at
Nor thpack in -Leeds, at the H-a-rdwar-eTrade= --New-te
Fair in London customers looked - and liked
what they saw.
The stands at these shows, planned by
Plysu Chief Designer Mike Dickins and his
team, attracted a lot of attention. And the
result? More orders for our ever-growing
firm.
-have -a-Ieok for yOl:J~s-el-f--at-the-- -
displays that so impressed the experts, turn
to the centre pages. There you'll find pictures
and stories of the three exhibitions.

The day George joined the tea set ...

BOWING out after 21 years
with the company ... Plysu
Housewares National Field
Sales Supervisor, George
Gardner.
And to make sure he's
never short of something to
brew up a retirement cuppa
in, Plysu sales force members
contributed to a silver tea set
and tray for him.
The picture shows Cliff
Atkinson (left), Plysu
Housewares Sales Director,
handing it over.
He shouldn't be caught out
for words, either ... his
colleagues also gave him a
complete Oxford dictionary.
• George flies high: Page 2.

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 They could hove
donced 011 night!
ABOUT 120 staff members
with their guests attended the
supper dance held recently in
the Plysu Restaurant. For this
evening, the usual canteen
atmosphere was transformed
by means of gaily coloured
tablecloths and curtains and
individual table lamps which
gave an intimate atmosphere
more in keeping with a social
At the hop . . . Plysu people enjoying
themselves over a table - and on the floor.
occasion. During and after the
informal buffet supper dancing
continued non-stop until I a.m.
to the excellent sound of For-
mula Five, backed up by the
latest in disco music. Those
who were not too exhausted to
express an opinion at the end
of the evening seemed to
have enjoyed themselves.
-GEORGE
FLIES
HIGH ..
GEORGE GARDNER has been in
•
sales most of his life and during
the war he found that his sales
technique and experience were
very useful when appointed
Training Officer in the RAF.
He realised that the two jobs
were very similar in the
approach they needed.
Reminiscing over his years
in the hardware field he says
"gone are the days when the
proprietor shuffled out in-to the
shop with his slippers on when
the door bell rang.
"The buyers these days are
far more professional and this
necessitates a more professional
approach by the salesman."
Cars
When George started off as a
sales representative none of
them had cars (or even horses!)
-all calls were made by public
transport or by foot.
But fortunately manufacturers
had the foresight to realise that
if their salesmen had cars they
could make more calls in a day
and have more time with the
buyers as well.
But these are not the only
changes he has noticed .. When
asked about the products them-
selves, he commented that there
have been amazing advances in
quality and appearance.
Change
Most buckets, bowls and so on
were made of galvanized tin or
at the very gayest white enamel
with a blue rim.
Kitchen utensils have seen a
big change -too-George remem-
bers with a smile how they all
had handles in cream with two
green lines around - and later
for a little extra you could have
cream and red.
"But the use of plastic has
revolutionised all this now,"
adds George. "Products can be
moulded to almost any shape
and now at last the public can
have a rectangular washing up
bowl in a rectangular sink - a
small point but quite a break-
through!"
111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111IIIIIII!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!IIIII111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!IIIIIIIIII

Now meet the Vice-President

AT THE annual meeting of the Hardware Manufac- to his present position. Born. and bred in Yorkshire,
turers' Association on May 14, during the National he moved south 12 years ago with his wife and two
Hardware Conference at the Imperial Hotel, Tor- children. He is a keen member of the Institute of
quay, members confirmed the election of Cliff Marketing, and his interest in boats and water, shown
Atkinson as Vice-President. by his earlier career in the Royal Naval Volunteer
He was the unanimous choice for the post of Reserve, is reflected in his continuing to sail dinghies
the present Hardware Manufacturers' Association at least weekly. In addition to sailing he is keenly
Committee, and he takes the place of Keith Woolley, interested in amateur operatics and is currently
Marketing Director of Yale Security Products Divi- Chairman of Milton Keynes Amateur Operatic
sion of Eaton Corporation, who was elected President Society.
of the same meeting. His most notable work for the Hardware Manu-
Cliff Atkinson, Sales Director Plysu House- facturers' Association has been his work as Chair-
wares, is considered to be of the "young generation" man of the Conference Project Group for the plan-
in the hardware industry. But he has a wealth of ning of national conferences. His success is shown
experience, having worked for 25 years in the in- by the unbroken string of record attendances at them
dustry. He joined the present company 22 years ago from the time at which he assumed this
as a sales representative, rising through the ranks responsibility.

1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111I1111111111111IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!III1111rlllllllllllllllllllllllll!11111111111111111111111IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

With Plysu housewores,

o home owoy from home
MY HUSBAND has got a three-year my heartiest congratulations.
----------.
....••..
- F. G.

YOU
contract in Australia, so my son and Bowles, Edgbury Hospital, Woburn
myself are accompanying him to Ade- Sands.
laide and then to Woomera. THE following employees were among
To help combat homesickness, I am the successjut British Red Cross
taking with me a wide range of Plysu Society Nursing examinations en-
housewares. trants ...

WRITE
The Aussies, I am told, are coffee C. R. E. Phillips (Commandant)
drinkers. But being a tea-drinker -passed the nursing proficiency ez-
myself, while drinking my cuppa and amination.
looking around my Plysu kitchen, my Michael Rose passed the hig'her
thoughts will dwell on such things as examination - a remarkable achieve-
the outing to s-ee Pyjama Tops, dances ment after only one year's membership
my whole family have enjoyed at Lake- of the Red Cross.
side, birthdays and Xmas celebrations. Arthur Seyner re-pcssed the initial
Especially
daughter's
I will think of my
wedding - so many of you
WHAT do you think nursing examination.
Four other members who are not
worked so hard, and what a success
it was. I am going to miss Midge and
about Plysu People? company employees also passed the
higher examination.
her Moppers, Mary with my Macky,
and many more very much.
About Plysu its elf ? Since the last issue of the magazine,
ward nursing duties have been carried
I have been told by a certain fair
lady that when I am scrapping out my
About . . . well, any- out at Edgbury Hospital and at the
Chesh'ire Home at Ampthill.
mud hut in stained slouched hat pulled thing? Let us know.
down over my ears, long skirts down
to my knees and tied round the waist We're offering SOp for THANK YOU
with string and clay pipe upside down, I WOULD like to thank everyone for
I'll be wishing
mopper.
myself back as a every letter published the kind thoughts and good wishes
that you expressed in your "happy
I reckon I can tickle the soles of
your feet from Down Under with a
. .. and £1 for the best retirement" card and the extremely
generous present that you gave me and
rendering of I'll Be Calling You. Make
sure you all answer. - Rene Hoptroff.
in each issue. my wife.
As the present was Spanish goblets,
we drank a toast to you all in Spanish
wine and the Spanish language. -
SUCCESS of people have undertaken
course of lectures
a further
for the Higher
George Gardner, Langmead
Bushey Heath, Hertfordshire.
Drive,
I WROTE to you last December in- Examination and once again have all
forming you that the Bedfordshire 21st been successful. One member even AS A former member of the Drawing
Detachment of the British Red Cross went as far as taking the proficiency Office, I would like to sincerely thank
Society had been successful in taking examination - the highest award that everybody who contributed towards the
the preliminary Home Nursing Exarni- can be gained - and passed. leather briefcase with which I was
nation. This confirms my previous remarks presented on leaving the firm recently.
I am now pleased to inform readers that you have an efficient group of - H. J. Purser, Curraghs Road, Bal-
of your magazine that the same group nurses working for your firm. I offer laugh, Isle of Man.

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3
 In words and pictures PLY

YES, THAT'S turns the spotlight (

big exhibitions I
company has t
recent

SHOW BUSINESS • •
PLYSU Chief Designer Mike anywhere within 80 kilometres of
Dickins and his staff almost suc- Cologne. This is international House-
wares Fair time, probably the most
ceeded in totally obstructing the important housewares exhibition in the
main entrance to the Northpack world. Nearly every important Euro-
exhibition in Leeds. pean manufacturer and buyer is there.
This year to mark Britain's entry
They incorporated into the stand into the European Economic Commu-
design a very dramatic semi-circular nity, Plysu made a special effort and
screen, 18ft. high, formed out of the exhibited the attractive range of
well-known Plysu logo. As a result, patterned housewares (below left).
our stand (right) was, without ques-
Inquiries from European companies
tion, the most dominant feature of the wishing to sell this range in nearly
whole show. every European country reflected the
N orthpack, held every two years, is uniqueness of the products.
a regional packaging exhibition on a
moderate scale and attracts buyers
mainly from Birmingham, Manchester, Policy
Liverpool, Leeds and Newcastle. Plysu already enjoys expanding sales
The centre of attraction on our in Holland, Switzerland and Norway.
stand was the display of R.70 con- Further afield you can buy Plysu
tainers in five gallon, 20 litre and 25 products in Cyprus, Malta, Kuwait,
litre sizes, combined with the 25 litre Saudi Arabia and many 0 the r
jerricans. The R.70 five-gallon con- countries.
tainer was shown in three different Now, as part of Plysu's policy of
weight versions. expanding into foreign markets -
Europe in particular - and as a
Welcome direct result of our Cologne efforts,
The stand was staffed by Jack Mart- we are starting to place Plysu in the
land and Peter Malia, Plysu's two important markets of France and
representatives in the North, John Belgium.
Speller, Containers Sales Manager, and • Plysu Housewares as usual occupied were keeping abreast with the furnish- fere
John Eastaff, Managing Director of the a very prominent position at the Hard- ing trends and again leading the way Ma
Containers Division. ware Trade Fair in London this year in the housewares colour field. jour
The weather was bad - a mixture with a striking stand (below right). Cliff Atkinson, Sales Director of and
of snow, gales and rain - but all One of the main features of the Plysu Housewares, who was responsible ally
visitors to the Plysu stand received a stand was a large display of house- for the introduction and launch of the Ot
welcome which was both warm and wares in the gay new fashion colours new colours, was also greatly encour- the
cordial. -lilac and spice brown. These aroused aged by the enthusiastic response bat
'. Around February every year it is a great amount of interest from buyers, from the Press, who were shown the of \\
impossible to find a vacant hotel room who were delighted to see that Plysu fashion shades at a special press con- patt
SUPEOPLE
>nthe three
n which the
~"""III""""""""Memo to men who
aken part in
tonths ... are mainly
• here for the beer!
= by JOCK McGILL

_ tastes, ~nd if you follow the slm12~-J::>lac~the-(}ther-ing-l'ed-i:ents
tee on the first day of the fair.
r prominent women's feature
ralists attended and gave the lilac
spice brown ranges an exception-
warm reception.
aer new products on display were
.atest additions to the patterned
'oom and kitchen ranges, many
hich were shown in entirely new
rns.
CHEERS . . . How many times an
evening do you say that in your
local?
If counting your yearly expendi-
ture looks like putting you off ale
for the rest of your life, why not
make your own ?
It's a very simple operation - so
simple that my wife now makes all
my beer for me. The only part of
my hobby left to me is the enjoy-
ment of drinking it.
The many fine home-brew kits
now on t~e market cover .most
Iiistructions a fine beer should
result.
Before I go any further, a little
advice ... do buy a hydrometer and,
if possible, a heater and thermostat.
I use both the latter: they were
bought from a pet shop and manu-
factured for use in a fish tank. But
they're perfectly adequate for the
job I use them for.
Explosions
Some people I know did try to
make their own brew without these
two aids. The instructions said: store for at least ten days when you
"When the bubbles stop coming to
the top of the fermentation, the
brew is ready to be bottled."
Well, they did this, and the result that long.
was a series of minor explosions in
the cupboard a few nights later.
Of course, my friends gave up at
this juncture. This was a great pity,
for if they had had a hydrometer,
this need never have happened.
Many informative books have been
written on the subject of home-
brewed beers, and they are obtain-
able at most chemists for something
like 35p. They are a worthwhile in-
vestment to anyone taking up the
hobby.
Pre-packed kits are a good way
to start, but when you get the feel
of it, you may want to try making
your own beer to just the flavour
you prefer.
My own taste is satisfied with the
following recipe ...
2 oz. hops.
1 packet bTewing salts
3 lb. dried. maLt.
4 Lb. gmnuLated suqar
2 Campden tablets
1 packet yeast.
Now for the method ...
I simmer the hops in three pints
of water for an hour, having already
-in -a---
container large enough to hold five
gallons.
Queries
Mix your ingredients in the con-
tainer with three pints of boiling
water and then strain your hops into
this as well. Make up to five gallons
with water from the tap and add
your yeast.
Leave to ferment for five to six
days and when ready to bottle add
a level teaspoonful of sugar to each
bottle. Seal the bottles tightly and
may start drinking.
By the way, it will keep for up
to three months, if you can leave it
One last word. T. Knowles, of the
moulding room, a home brewer of
long standing. has expressed his
willingness with me to answer
queries - and also, to give our
opinion on all the samples which
I am sure you will bring us!
So happy brewing, and your first
toast must surely be to a past Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, Reginald
Maudling, who made a budget pro-
vision for all of us who like wallop
to brew our own legally.
Here's mud in your eye . and
beer in your glass.
5
PEOPLE AT PLYSU

To them, we
offer our
congrotulotions
ENGAGEMENTS
Gillian Stringer, of the Mop
Room, to Gary Rolls on April
THEy'RE IN
5. THE NEWS
Mavis Green to Michael We welcome news and
Keech on February 3. views, comments and
carps. This is your journal
Wendy Shirwood to Tim and your opportunity to put
Kennedy on January 27. pen to paper. News to:
Ethel Best, Raymond Hall
MARRIAGES -Housewares
nda Ingram-Containers
Carol Carter to J eff Roberts pe azel Wade-Industrial
on February 24, at Bedford ~ Mark Suter-Main Office
Registry Office. ..- Derek Sinfield-Moulding

Sue Griffin to Malcolm Rob-I" .)1. Shop

. (Jean Smith-Print Room
inson at Aspley Guise, Claude Phillips-Personne
April 14. Office
Les Hailey-Transport V
BIRTHS
To Gerald and Loretta
JILLPARKER (above) and
John Bassett were married at
Salford Church. JiIIworked
Ramsay, Nicola Anne 7lb 1U
oz. on April 20. Welcome ...
To Susan Ruff S m i t h, JANUARY
in the Industrial Department Terence Peter. At Bedford Peter Relf Moulding
Mrs. Diane Daniels Print Room
for five years. She was given Hospital on March 15. Susan Derrick Jackson Moulding
the traditional send-off - used to work in the Containers J. Spencer Moulding
Francis Clarke Cleaning
ribbons and PVC clothing to Stripping Department. Peter Robinson Uniloy Packing
Melvyn Fossey Uniloy Packing
parade to the department, SILVER WEDDING
FEBRUARY
and the couple are now living Mr. & Mrs. Jean Smith on M. Kolic Print Room
in Gillingham, Kent. March 27. Miss Peggy Ellis Print Room
Andrew Dayton Housewares
Thomas Hendy Moulding
Terence Farmer Containers
THINGS Miss M. Thompson Industrial
MARCH
HAVE DISC WILL TRAVEL. - Party or contact T. Lumbers.
wedding coming up ? Need music. Con- Miss Jean Wallace Print Room
tact Mick Rose, or ring Ridgmont 321 THIS is your paper ... and these could Miss K. Richardson Print Room
any evening. be your ads. Your announcement can be Ian Walker Carpenters
included in Plysu People absolutely free. Miss Diane Darby MOP Dept.
WANTED.-Carry-cot in good condition. Just send it to Mark Suter, in the Main
Anyone knowing of one for sale, please Office. David Higgs Housewares

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 THE YOUNG
1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
PLYSU
AT
GENERATION •••
11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 PLAY
FOOTBALL

Leaving the
best ti 11the end
WITH the end of the season, the
club are in a far better position
than had been likely earlier. The
expected improvement in results
saw the club rise to seventh posi-
tion in Division Three of the
North Bucks and District League
with some really good perform-
ances against teams who had
beaten us quite soundly earlier
in the season.
A run of six matches without
defeat ensured that we cleared
the bottom-of-the-division position
we had held for JiOffi time.. .The __
resultsfrom the beginning of our
improvement were as follows:-
Westbury 0, Plysu 0; M.K.D.C.
2, Plysu 2; Twyford 1, Plysu 2;
Plysu 1, Grendon Res. 0; Shenley
& Loughton 1, Plysu 2; Plysu 1,
Westbury 0; N. Crawley 2, Plysu
O. Our final league record was
played 22, won 7, drawn 2, lost
13, goals for 28, goals against 65,
points 16. We finished seventh
out of 12.
This all-round improvement
means that the club can now look
forward to next season with con-
fidence, in the hope that we shall
be able to achieve our first objec-
tive, that of promotion to the
Second Division.
All things considered, our first
season of league football has been
reasonably successful. It is ac-
HEREthey are ... the cutest little baby faces ! The top cepted that a new club always
takes a certain amount of time
picture shows Hayley Jane Pedder, then six weeks old, to "settle in". This has been
achieved with a fair measure of
daughter of Lynn Pedder, who used to work on the success.
Officials convey their thanks to
switchboard, and her husband, Alan. Next meet one of the all players and people who have
grandchildren of Claira Griffin - two-year-old Martin helped in other ways to get the
club off the ground. Their efforts
Griffin, the son of Caroline and Brian Griffin. Claira has a are appreciated, and we can now
go forward and fulfil some of the
two-year-old grand-daughter, too ... Debbie Ward. club's ambitions with confidence.
Perhaps we'll meet all three at Plysu one day ... in about B. R. LARBEY
1990, let's say! • More sport on the back page.
7
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THE CERTAIN SIGN THAT SPELLS SAFETY
HOW do you spell safety? With a V, of course.
At least, that was the verdict o>fthe judges in
Plysu's April safety poster competition.
All the signs pointed to success when they
saw the entry from S. Cooper. His slogan was
"Guard them Well ... Or You'll Never Do a
Harvey Smith." And it was appropriately illus-
trated, too - with a drawing of that gesture.
This time the V very definitely stood for
victory, because Mr. Cooper's contribution was
chosen as joint winner of the contest.
The other effort the judges put the finger on
was from Mrs. R. Furnival. She spelt it out for
them too, with a slogan that read: "Please Let
Your Safety Be Uppermost". Initially that
caught Plysu people's eye - and continued to
do so.
Also highly commended in an entry of overall
high standard were the contributions of P. Rowe
and D. Jaekson (senior). They ran the winners
close . . . which only goes to show that in a
contest like this, nobody's safe!

FISHING enough weight to win the match and

the tankard. BINGO

The ones that Watch the notice board for some

didn't get away
WITH the season over and all matches
finished until June, we can look baCk
with contentment or disappointment
according to how well we fared.
Generally speaking the season as far
as match fishing was concerned was
poor in results - mainly due, I think,
to the excessive weed growth and
abundance of natural foods in the
waters.
However, one or two of our members
did well in the points table, notably
Mark Cannon, of Engineering, who
news of the club. I shall shortly be
putting up the date for the annual
meeting as soon as it is decided, and
as your delegate to the Milton Keynes
Association, I shall pin up the minutes
and news of these meetings that are
held monthly.
I shall finish this column with a
true (well, perhaps) story from
America, which may amuse you as it
did me ...
PLYSU
The name of
the game
BENEVOLENCE? What does it mean?
Well I'll try to tell you. It means being
charitable, kind and wishing people
well. OK? That is just what I am
trying to be, by running the bingo
sessions every Thursday.
It started on June 8, 1972, and quite
a few people have benefited from the
Benevolent Fund so far. I believe a
lot of you do not as yet know what
it's all about.
The Benevolent Fund is for us, the
people of Plysu. When anyone
is ill for six weeks or more, he or
of us

she will receive £10 from the fund.·

raced away from the field with the
top score, closely followed by one
other member, Roland Golding. The
remainder of us, I am afraid, fell
behind with each match fished. -
Congratulations again to Mark upon
winning the Claude Phillips Shield this
season with a fine perch of lIb. 120z.
from the lake, and our sympathy must
surely go to Roland whose 141b. carp
was beaten so late in the season.
For those of you who may wonder
how a lIb. 120z. perch beats a 141b.
carp, perhaps I should explain that
it is judged on a percentage of record.
The record carp is 441b., so l4lb. repre-
sents slightly under 1 of the record;
but the record perch is 51b. Loz. and
lIb. 120z. represents slightly over t.
The Angling Times winter league
matches that we fished were very
difficult indeed. Very poor weights
were returned, especially on the canal,
and the one man in our team who did
exceptionally well was Michael Balder-
stone, of Engineering, who came first
twice and took second place three
times in the six matches that were
fished.
He surely deserved some recognition
for such a fine performance, but unfor-
tunately the Angling' Times's rules are
based on aggregate weight instead of
points, and such is the luck of the
draw that I drew one of the very few
"dolly" swims in the canal and gained
PRINTED BY THE RUISLlP PRESS lTD .. HIGH ROAD, ICKENHAM.
8
AT
PLAY
It appears that a fisherman with the
unusual name of Rachos Benily went
fishing for "tandem eels", a species
so called because of their habit of
travelling in Indian file. When one of
these eels sees its predecessor length-
ening the space between them it darts
forward and seizes its tail dragging
it back into line.
By a coincidence, Rachos dropped
his bait in front of the leader, which
grabbed it. As he drew it towards him,
the second eel, true to its instinct,
dashed forward and seized its tail,
and so it continued right down the
line.
Dropping his rod, old Rachos began
to haul in the rope of eels hand over
hand until the ground all round him
became a wriggling mass of eels.
Exhausted, he cut the rest off. The
total weight of the tandem was re-
ported at 8501b.
JACK SORENSON
UXBRIDGE. MIDDX.
The bingo sessions, dance and raffles
are run so we can keep the Benevolent
Fund going strong.
But let's be realistic. You can't give
money away if you haven't got any,
can you? If any of our Committee
members
tickets,
come around
remember
with raffle
what it's for -
because anyone, even the strongest,
could fall ill and be glad of the £10.
Now, bingo can be a great fund-
raiser if only you, the people of Plysu,
would take part in it. Don't get me
wrong - quite a few come every
week, and I am really grateful for the
support they give us. But I am sure
that a lot more of you could come.
And remember, the more people we
get to a session, the bigger the pay-out.
We open the doors at 7 p.m. every
Thursday. Bingo starts at 8 p.m., and
we finish just after 9. So all you men
who thought they'd miss getting a pint
in will still have time afterwards. You
can bring your friends, too - the
more the better. I am keeping my
fingers crossed that it may be possible
to get a coach laid on for our people
who live too far away to get here
otherwise.
If anyone needs any more infor-
mation come and see me in Containers.
And please accept this open invitation
to come to the Lakeside Restaurant
for a game of bingo and so help our
Plysu Benevolent Fund.
EDDlE WILSON