18 SEP1972
September 13, 1972.
Mr. C.A. Pritqhett,
Apartado 316, -r_-
Ciudad de Guatemala,
Guatemala.
Dear Mr. Pritchett,
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT IN THE B-A.T. GROUP
You may have heard recently of the establishment of the new Product
Development Laboratory, In Southampton. In addition to its product
development work, this has assumed the functions of S. C. L. , Liverpool
and absorbed its staff - The Millbank New Products Committee was
established early this year, and in May, Research and Development
Department held a Scientific Product Development Conference in the
Southampton Laboratory, at which ten Group Companies were represented.
These events reflect a growing concern with Product Development within
the U. K. Organisation, and the Southampton Conference recognised
amongst other requirements the need to establish effective communications
in this area.
R. & D. Reports are frequently concerned with highly specialised fields of
expertise, and Group Research Centres have an established network of
communication. To ensure that potential users in Product Development
may benefit from Group R. & D. , effective communication across functional
boundaries Is required, and the enclosures are a first attempt to meet this
need.
We hope that the information conveyed in this way will be of value to
your Company Management In general, and in particular to those members
of management entrusted with the development of new products. It
therefore seemed appropriate to send these initial examples to the top of
each Company, at the same time seeking your views on the best
distribution for further information of this kind.
I am sure you would agree that a purely technical link would be less than
ideal. Product development information will be conveyed from here In a
way which allows any member of your team to make use of it, although
technical reports from R. & D. will contin 'ue to be distributed as before.
It would greatly assist us in developing procedures and approach if you C=@
would freely criticise the content and presentation of those examples CD
C=)
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ten
U-4
C711
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BATCo document for Province of British Columbia 16 April 1999

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enclosed, I. e.
1) Scientific Product Development Conference - Summary
This summary indicates the aims of the Conference,
and illustrates briefly the wide range of topics pursued.
It Is more technical in content than the other enclosures.
2) Product Development Information Notes, Nos. 01-03
These show the sort of information which will be
covered, and one style and presentation that may be
adopted.
3) R. & D. Handbooks 1 and 2
These contain the results of several years' work in
R. & D. , adapted and arranged to meet the needs of
management with product development responsibilities.
These are the first two of a series, which will aim to
cover technical aspects of product development in a
practical and straight-forward way. rurther copies are
available, of course, and I hope you will encourage
its use at desk level by all concerned in product
development.
May I ask for your views on how we can best be of help to you in this
field. Any criticism or comment you may make will be most welcome.
Yours very truly,
for B. Beauchamp
Enc.
WBF
n. o. o.
c. c. Dr. -F Haslam. L//
N.;
Ln
BATCo document for Province of British Columbia 16 April 1999