HGH/J 46B-11 May, 1980
VISIT TO I. T. L. AND B. & W. GENERAL CONCLUSION
by H. G. Horsewell
I. T. L., MONTREAL
Here, 7 was made very welcome (as always). The people
I met were very open and helpful, and gave me all the information
they had and answered my questions to the best of their ability.
The visit was successful in terms of obtaining an up-date
on the work in progress, which is mostly concerned with the
immediate problems of brands on the market.
Apart from the smoking behaviour survey work of Pat Dunn,
and the work on tobacco pyrolysis which Andrew Porter is preparing
to carry out, there is very little other research or development
work going on.
As far as filters are concerned, I. T. L. are carrying out a
few experiments on alkaline filters with-added carbon, but this
is a fairly low-key project.
I felt they had become bogged down with their short-term
problems. For example, the only mention of Bridon filters was
its possible use for reducing the cost of producing filter-
tipped empty spills which are already on the market. On thinking
a little deeper, it is doubtful whether 1. T. L. have suitable
people (apart from the two names above) to carry out large and
complex R. & D. projects. For example, I am doubtful whether
they will be able to solve any problem which might arise on the
spin moulding machine. I was not very impressed with their
approach to problems on interactions of materials and machines,
which was very much a "trial and error' approach..
As far as the future requirements of filters are concerned
they said (Stan Candlish) that they thought less efficient filters
would be required in future and more use would be made of ventila-
tion. I detected an interest in novel shape filters, mainly as
they were interested in the SCS filter and several times Bob Gibb
mentioned making novel filters from moulded plastic including
alternative versions of the HEE filter.
They are still very interested in the HEE filter. I thought-
their attitude to making it had changed and they now want a fullY2
developed process with a document which sets out exactly what -Chh.
this filter can do, including its limitations. I emphasise that I-,
this is my opinion. LJ_4
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I also felt that they do not think about filters much when
they talk with their marketing people. I gathered most of their
discussions centre around deliveries of tar and nicotine, taste,
level and variability of ventilation and possibly filter novelty.
Maybe it was for those reasons that Stan Candlish discouraged me
from talking to the Canadian Marketing people, although I thought
he adopted a protective attitude.
BROWN & WILLIAMSON
At Louisville, although I was made to feel welcome (almost
to the point of embarrassment by Bob Sanford), I thought they
were less open during discussions with the more senior people
(particularly Lance Reynolds). Here I had to dig more for
information and they seemed to want me to give them much more
information than they were prepared to provide. They were
reasonably open concerning the grooved filter, which seems to
occupy most of the B. & W. product group.
I thought the BWIT group were mostly concerned with developing
a more or less conventional ventilated cigarette and their input
was mostly on flavours.
There is very little research being conducted in the labora-
tories. Roy Matulis and his group either have not decided what
to do (which is what they said), or they did not wish to discuss
their thoughts.
There is little doubt that an NIH attitude, and a reluctance
to-allow us to help them, exists in the B.'& W. product group.
This was more or less openly stated by-Lance Reynolds, particularly
when I offered to obtain some cellulose acetate plugwrap for them.
B. & W. are interested in novel filters for low delivery
cigarettes and would be interested in the HEE filter. They were
very keen to obtain samples for Bob Johnson to examine at the
laboratory level.
I was disappointed in their lack of interest in the
commercialisation of the nitric oxide filter as I was asked to
explain the progress in this development by most of the people
I met.
The visit was extremely useful in providing an up-date with
what is going on, but disappointing in that I was unable to come
away with any clear ideas on what they thought we should be doing
in our filter work. The unspoken answer was 'if there is anything
we want, we will investigate it ourselves".
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BATCo document for Province of British Columbia 12 April 1999