Production and Project Update Number 2

Discussions regarding the 70,000 Free Chess Sets for Schools in England.
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fergus christie
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Production and Project Update Number 2

Post by fergus christie » Mon May 19, 2008 4:38 pm

Hi again.

Apologies for the perceived silence from the manufacturing arm of this program!!! I've spent a lot of time overseas on business and we're also neck-deep in new projects so I have neglected to keep this forum updated...

We now have live production and material availability to produce 40 tonnes of chess sets - or about 40,000 sets, which equates to about 20% of the target output. Further material has been promised as soon as required.

For those of you interested in the recycling position of these sets two companies, May & Scofield and Harvey Water Softeners, are sending us their plastic products to be re-ground into pellets for use in the project. The rest of the materials currently allocated come from the plastics OEM processing scrap. This material would normally be either land-filled or incinerated as it fails to meet the tight engineering tolerances required of techncial plastics. However since a chess set wouldn't normally be expected to survice a burn test, collision or chemical spill it is more than suitable for our needs!?!

If anyone would like to visit us in Basingstoke and see some of the tools running we're hoping to have a mini-volume build in June... without packaging we don't want to produce a sea of chess pieces which will subsequently need to be hand-sorted into the correct allocation amounts.

Which is of course the bad news... we still have no packing media (RPC the orignal box sponsor has moved their production to Eastern Europe) and we still have no outer sleeve to put the 10 sets and 10 boards in.

I'll be blunt here by stating that some of the negativity associated with comments generated by these boards and similar "assumed" offical channels is damaging our ability to tie down long-term sponsorship. Some of the ructions within the ECF's own board have also been unhelpful...

Charles Wood is working tirelessly to try and confirm the distribution channels to get our production out to the UK - I would urge all those involved in the ECF side of this project to support him in this effort - most especially with your endorsement of his work in trying to pin down the whole delivery end of the program. That's finding sponsors for all the packaging media, arranging the collection of a minimum of 45 lorry loads of chess pieces from us, securing a distribution hub to store and break down bulk consignments into regional deliveries and then of course getting each carton of sets to every school!?!

If you'd like any more information or would like to make further suggestions please let me know - we are on the cusp of delivering an amazing program and I'm hopeful that the ECF and the chess community of England will be able to make the most of this opportunity.

Regards

Fergus

Fergus Christie
Sales Director
Holloid Plastics
Basingstoke

e-mail: [email protected]

andrew martin

Re: Production and Project Update Number 2

Post by andrew martin » Mon May 19, 2008 4:45 pm

Thnak you for the update.

How many people from the ECF are actively involved in the overall day to day administration of this project ? Is it just Charles or are there others ?

Andrew

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Charles W. Wood
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Re: Production and Project Update Number 2

Post by Charles W. Wood » Mon May 19, 2008 10:24 pm

andrew martin wrote:Thnak you for the update.

How many people from the ECF are actively involved in the overall day to day administration of this project ? Is it just Charles or are there others ?

Andrew
Many others, the ECF office is a major admin post. Holliod Plastic have staff in the mix. Marketting and media covered by the haulage sponsors and advisors. My own team has now grown as well. This is a project which has to have a lot of imput. I thought you have been in touch before today. But hey ho.
Charles W. Wood
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Charles W. Wood
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Re: Production and Project Update Number 2

Post by Charles W. Wood » Wed May 21, 2008 1:11 pm

DavidFryer wrote:Charles probably elsewhere but who are the haulage sponsors? I may like to use them business wise.
Out of the two big haulage companies, one is about to sign up and the other is Fortec Pallet Distribution Network.
Charles W. Wood
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Dr Andrew Cula

Re: Production and Project Update Number 2

Post by Dr Andrew Cula » Thu May 22, 2008 1:31 am

DavidFryer wrote:I will ask our current carrier why they are not sponsoring this high publicity project
Maybe they've read the forum :lol: :twisted:

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Charles W. Wood
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Re: Production and Project Update Number 2

Post by Charles W. Wood » Thu May 22, 2008 3:08 am

DavidFryer wrote:Thanks but a little bit too big for us I will be interested in your others when you get them signed up - I will ask our current carrier why they are not sponsoring this high publicity project
Thank you, it all helps. :D
Charles W. Wood
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