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LOCATIONS

LAND

16 Mar 11. A dedicated facility for developing and demonstrating the next generation of simulation technologies has been opened in Bristol. The Advanced Simulation Research Centre (ASRC) was formally opened on 11th March by land speed record breaker and Bloodhound SCC Director Richard Noble OBE. Housing a powerful IT lab and visualisation suite, ASRC will provide a permanent collaborative facility for designers from a range of sectors to simulate the behaviour of physical systems. By helping to create more powerful simulation tools, the Centre is expected to ensure more rapid, cost effective product development with reduced reliance on physical prototypes or testing. Through the collaborative development of world-leading products and processes, it aims to improve the competitiveness of the UK in a growing global marketplace. The creation of the facility has been overseen by CFMS: an independent, not-for-profit organisation supported by the UK government and backed by member companies including Airbus, BAE Systems, Frazer-Nash Consultancy, MBDA UK, Rolls-Royce and Williams F1. Importantly, the Centre will be available to all, promoting collaboration and innovation in engineering across a range of sectors.

15 Mar 11. Altair Engineering, Inc., a leading global provider of simulation technology and engineering services, today announced that this month it will open its first office in Spain. The Madrid location will provide regional enterprise support services to major aerospace, automotive and energy companies and offer software to those business sectors in collaboration with its distributor DSP, located in Tarragona, Spain. (Source: Yahoo!/PRNewswire)

15 Mar 11. Azure Dynamics Corporation a world leader in the development and production of hybrid electric and electric components and powertrain systems for commercial vehicles, announced today that it has opened its new European headquarters office in North London to support its sales and marketing efforts for the new all-electric Ford Transit Connect, which is scheduled for European production in June, 2011.
“Since its introduction in 2002, the Ford Transit Connect has had phenomenal sales success in cities across Europe and we’re eager to launch its all-electric counterpart, Transit Connect Electric,” said Scott Harrison, CEO of Azure Dynamics. “Since receiving the first 14 Transit Connect Electric vehicles in Europe this past December, we are very encouraged by the initial reaction and interest from both European public and private commercial fleet operators. Many of our potential customers have experience with the conventional gas vehicle and are now eager to enjoy the operational and environmental benefits of our pure-electric ForceDriveTM powertrain.”

15 Mar 11. Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, will consolidate some 2,500 non-production staff to an office campus formerly occupied by Eli Lilly and Company on South Meridian Street in Indianapolis. The company has reached agreement with Eli Lilly and Company, the City of Indianapolis, Develop Indy and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and will begin relocating office staff from other locations in Greater Indianapolis later this year.

MARITIME

03 Mar 11. Type 26 Frigate: Service Entry. The Defence Equipment Minister confirmed (3 Mar 11) that the first Type 26 frigate is “expected to enter service early in the next decade”.
Comment: The Government prefers to refer to the Type 26 programme as the Global Combat Ship. In a further effort to make the ship more exportable, the MoD is looking to a concept similar to the Meko Class whereby a single hull design can be fitted