'Beautiful women, no idea how to run a business': Titan boss takes another swipe at France

A transatlantic war of words

An American tyre tycoon has fired off a second virulent letter to France's industry minister, saying his country has "beautiful women and fantastic wine" but "no idea how to run a business".

Maurice Taylor — chief executive of Titan International — had already incensed the French earlier in the week by writing that the country's "so-called" workers put in "three hours a day", with the rest of the day spent eating and talking.

Industry minister Arnaud Montebourg hit back in a written response, telling Taylor his comments were "extremist and insulting" and displayed "a perfect ignorance of what our country is about" — and added, pointedly, that he would "inspect your tyre imports with a redoubled zeal".

Taylor doubles down

Taylor's second letter showed no retreat: "Your letter shows the extent to which your political class is out of touch with [real] world problems."

"You call me an extremist, but most businessmen would agree that I must be nuts to have the idea to spend millions of US dollars to buy a tyre factory in France paying some of the highest wages in the world."

"Your letter did not mention why the French government has not stepped in to rescue this Goodyear tyre factory. The extremists are in your government, who have no idea how to build a business. Your government let the wackos of the communist union destroy the highest paying jobs."

He insisted Titan had never asked for lower wages: "We asked only if you want seven hours pay, you work at least six."

Then the flourishes: "France does have beautiful women and great wine. PS: My grandmother named my father after French entertainer Maurice Chevalier, and I inherited the name." And finally: "I have visited Normandy with my wife. I know what we did for France."

The reaction

The US State Department tried to play down the spat. Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland called it a "private matter" between a company and a minister — not a concern between the United States and its "oldest ally" France.

The row landed the same week the European Commission predicted French growth of just 0.1pc in 2013 — against the government's 0.8pc forecast — and a budget deficit of 3.7pc of GDP, missing the 3 per cent target. Former conservative budget minister Valérie Pécresse conceded Taylor's letter "faithfully reflects the image that a good deal of investors have of France… because we have an overdose of tax, because they don't see the necessary competitiveness reforms."

Archive summary, February 2013, based on reporting by The Telegraph and Reuters.