RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
MEETING OF THE HEADS OF THE CAC TOBACCO COMPANIES
LONDON : 7/8 MARCH 1985
PRESENT: MR. E. A. A. BRUELL
MR.
MR.
MR.
HERRN.
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
Plans for GR&DC
R.
M.
J.
T.
P.
D.
A.
J.
E.
L.
D.
E.
B.
K.
L.
PRITCHARD
CRAWSHAW
MERCIER
VON SPECHT
SANDEFUR
SMITH
THORPE
HEARD
It is proposed that GR&DC ceases to be a central
research
establishment and becomes the laboratory for
BATUXE and BATCo
in an arrangement paralleling..~hat which exists
for the
laboratories in the CAC companies. it wili cease
to be an
extension of Read Office.
It is recognised that, since the establishment of
GRSDC as
the BAT tobacco research laboratory 30.years ago,
the various
CAC laboratories have developed expertise In
certain research
areas and it is now natural to build on these
skills.
In future fundamental research will be done across
the Group
by the laboratory showing the greatest
interest/expertise for
any particular subject.
Mr. R. J. Pritchard will be the Director
responsible for the
Group R&D activity, and Mr. A. L. Heard will
co-ordinate the
total Group programme.
The benefit of decentralising the fundamental R&D
is that its
direction and management will become integrated
with the
current applied/development activities of the CAC
laboratories,
and thus take on a greater market-driven aspect.
(This does
not imply that it has only short-term goals.)
The existing Group Research Programme assembled by
GR&DC has
been reviewed in the light of (1) the new
BATCo/BATUKE likely
needs, and (2) the areas of research that we now
believe are
most sensibly retained in the Southampton
laboratory.
The meeting agreed the following changes in broad
principle,
subject to ratification by the Research Directors
meeting on
the 21/22 March:
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1. Biolotical Research
To be terminated at GR&DC except for a two man
team for
Ames testing. Project RIO to be completed, based
on
Ames tests, and each territory to then decide what
action
to take on brands.
Under ALE a small senior team of scientists will
determine
the future use of external agencies for research
in the
biological/S&H area.
Germany and Canada will retain their Ames test
facilities.
Dr. Thornton, reporting to ALE, will be
responsible for
central co-ordination of technical information on
Smoking
& Health issues.
2. Smoke Research
This is an important area of fundamental research
and,
in view of the high calibre of the team, is beat
left in
Southampton.
Within the combustion/mechanisms projects,
particular
interest was shown in work aimed at
reducing/eliminatiug
the formation of known undesirable smoke
components.
USA expressed considerable interest in expanding
their
activity in various aspects of smoke formation,
including
aerosol formation. This will be co-ordinated with
the
Southampton work.
3. Smoker Behaviour
In future Southampton will use the techniques
previously
developed for monitoring human smoking only as a
test
method for product developmeutt not for studying
individual
smoking styles. No development of new techniques
will
be carried out, thus effort will be considerably
reduced.
If further development of techniques is needed
Canada,
which currently has a small enthusiastic team, may
form
the best base for this work.
Nicotine studies were considered important and
should be
discussed at the Research Directors' Meeting in
order
to clarify future projects/location.
it was agre ad that work on Smoke Retention should
be
terminated within the Group.
Work on "Dry Mouth /Af tertas te" should not
continue at
Southampton. C:>
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4. Tobacco Treatment
In future Southampton will concentrate only on
chemical
changes/treatments for flue-cured tobacco. Project
SHIP
will continue for Virginia blends, including
Australia,
if support continues.
Development of mapping techniques, an important
recent
innovation, will continue.
-5. Flavour and Biotechnology
It is proposed that the GR&DC search for new
flavour
chemicals or for means of increasing precursor
levels in
tobacco should terminate, in view of its low
success rate.
Maximum use of Flavour House facilities should be
made
in future, but it is also recommended that Germany
should
become the research centre for flavour ebemistry.
Brazil
will also consider how it might strengthen its
work in
the area of flavours, both research and
production.
All centres will retain Flavourist technology as a
key
aspect of product development.
6 A. Process TechuoloRy
Southampton will retain Process technology on
Virginia
blends only - work on Burley will be progressed by
the
"blended" companies.
It is anticipated that BATUKE/BATCo will identify
its
specific needs in Processing.
The work on novel expansion processes which is
showing
promise will continue, although this may be
offered to
one of the other companies to scale-up in due
course.
6 B. Physics of Tobacco
Although the objectives of this work viz. the
removal
of barriers to density reduction (ends quality,
firmness,
hot collapse) and product variability studies are
deemed
of high priority, it is not felt that the current
team/programme will be successful. it will be
drastically
curtailed.
Consideration will be given to where best to get
such
work done, either in other CAC laboratories or in
universities/iustitutes. CZ)
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4.
The search for Processing Improvements will be
encouraged
at Soutl:smptont but based on "exploratory" rather
than"fumdamental" studies, and very much led by
Operating
Company requirements.
6 C. Novel Cigarette Technology
This work area represents the "blue skies" or
exploratory
side of cigarette innovation, but has suffered in
Southam->ton from a lack of the type of marketing
guidance
availabie in Operating Companies.
It is belie-wed
territorial
should have
and Germany
work.
that even "blue skies" work has a
orientation and that all CAC companies
some projects of this type in future. USA
are seen as probable lead companies for such
The Southampton effort will be reduced in line
with
BATUXE/3ATCo needs.
Opportunity to create long-term innovative
"building
blocks" in th* paper and filter areas was
suggested.
The important role of the Chairman of the CAC
tobacco
companies, not only in taking a close interest in
their
R&D function, but particularly in agreeing long -
as
well as short - term market oriented goal's was
agreed.
7. Measurement Technology
This area should be responsive to needs identified
by
BATUKE/3ATCo Operating Companies in future. A
small
group will be retained, but the opportunity to
contract
out instrument design/ fabrication will be
encouraged.
The co-ordinator will aLt as a "clearing house" in
this
area for enquiries from laboratories.
8. Analytical
Southaupton must retain the capability of
developing
chemical or physical test methods for BATUKE/BATCo
specific
needs. Method development for research projects
will be
reduced in line with the overall scale of the
research
effort.
9. Psychology/Charter Research
Whilst there is an agreed need to strengthen our
techniques
for understanding the consumer, it was not felt
that
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5.
Charter Research was of value. In general,
countries
had their own arrangements (e.&. du Pont in B&W)
and
ME have no need of the CRA facility.
It was concluded that the psychology function at
Southampton be terminated, although opportunities
to re-
deploy the leader, R. P. Ferris, who has
considerable
creative skills will be explored with the CAC
companies.
.10. Additives Guidance Panel, etc.
Southampton will retain T. G. Mitchell as Chairman
of
the Additives and Materials Guidance Panels for
the Group.
11. External Bodies
Concern was expressed that BAT is
under-represented in,
for instances Corresta. Mr, Pritchard indicated
that a
world survey was being conducted on the relevant
bodies
Corresta, ISO, DIN, Tobacco Workers, etc. - who
are
the current rapresentativ~es? when are elections
due?
and so on. A strategy paper suggesting bow we
should
progress will then be issued.
12. Cost Implications
BAT Industries have charged BATCo to ensure that,
as a
result of this restructuring of R&D, the outcome
is
greater achievement rather than necessarily lower
cost.
It is envisaged, however, that costs for all
companies
will be no greater and probably lower, but we
should
expect to increase the amount of work contracted
to
universities and institutes in the future.
Mr. Bruell. does not want to establish
inter-compauy
accounting arrangements; trading should be in
services
rather than money. However, it is anticipated that
neither USA nor Germany will contribute funds
externally
once the re-organisation has been completed.
Canada, Brazil and Australia were asked to confirm
the
extent to which they wish to continue to use Group
research facilities, and whether they agree to
funds
being "routed" via the BATCo corporate function
(RJP/ALH).
13. Confidentiality of Information
The number of UK staff aware of the intended
changes in GR&DC
Southampton are very few. Mr. Bruell agreed that
each
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Chairmam could inform those of his staff he
wishes,
accepting a tight "need to know" basis. General
announcements were expected in the latter half of
April.
14. Research Directors' Meeting
This has been arranged for the 21/22 March 1985.
The prime tasks are:
1. To agree those items to be retained/rejected
from the current Group Research Programme at
GUDC .
2. To identify CAC laboratories with particular
expertise, where items removed from the GR&DC
?rogramme should be transferred.
3. To agree the principle of an integrated
Group Research Programme across the various
laboratories, each approved by its local
Chairman and senior management and co-ordinated
for Mr. R. J. Pritchard by Mr. A. L. Heard.
For this meeting each CAC laboratory will be
asked to bring its R&D programme, together with
a list of external R&D contracts.
15. Future Co-ordination
Considerable stress was placed on the importance
of the
co-ordination. role and the need for a totally
"open
door" policy between laboratories. Specialist
research
-meetings will be encouraged.
In future, the annual research directors' meetings
should
be a Group policy setting and technical exchange
forum.
It was proposed that the co-ordinator should visit
each
company twice each year, the aims being:-
1. to monitor R&D projects and to ensure
information
flow between scientific groups
2. to discuss R&D needs of the company with
Chairman
and senior management.
The first round of discussions should be scheduled
such
that each laboratory can construct its programme
(in the
light of the reorganisation of GR&DC) and a
Composite C:>
Group Programme can be constructed by ALH by the
and of I'D
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7.
16. Next Meeting
It was agreed that this group should meet in 12 15
months to review progress.
A L Heard
11 th March 1985
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