Summer 1951, and what better time for a cocktail party?

The previous month, a Mr Rutledge of our Council volunteered to serve, at his own (probably his company’s) expense, on an Intra-European Technical Mission from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research which was to study technical developments in fire-fighting appliances in 6 nations. He would visit the other countries, hear papers and see demonstrations.

When the Mission came to Britain, we entertained its personnel at a cocktail party, meeting Mission men, government officials, and insurers.

Five of our member companies took up the offer to demonstrate modern equipment to them at RAF Kenley.

We agreed at the next meeting that these little events had been excellent for raising our profile. (At this time, our members’ dealings had been mainly with Commonwealth countries.

The Commonwealth was on the wane, and Europe rising but not yet having formed the European Common Market or the later Economic Community, and this is the start of our markets expanding into Europe.) 

Today the FIA has an Export Council which represents its exporting members and looks at how we can work together to promote UK companies.