Free to attend!

DAY 3: WEDNESDAY, December 1, 2021

7:00 AM PST (3pm UK):
Featured Speaker:  Mark Miles

Mark D. Miles is President and Chief Executive Officer of Penske Entertainment Corp., comprised of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, INDYCAR, IMS Productions, Georgetown Realty, and various other business entities.

Michael Cobb, President and CEO of SCCA (Sports Car Club of America). The SCCA founded in 1944, is a 67,500-member motorsports organization that incorporates all facets of autocross, rally and road racing at both club and professional levels.

1:00 PM PST (9pm UK):
Featured Legends: Mario Andretti & Linda Vaughn

Racing legend, Mario Andretti, is going to join Linda Vaughn, the First Lady of Motorsports, for a special 1 hour session. This is going to be very entertaining and colorful.

Register for free here!

November 18 saw the Business Magazine’s 12th annual Thames Valley 250 awards, where Xtrac were recognised and rewarded in the Innovation category for their ILEV (Integrated Lightweight Electric Vehicle) transmissions.

With markets moving from ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) towards hybrids and EV’s, the development and innovation activities of these highly efficient and power dense units, is ever more important in the drive towards decarbonisation of transportation, as we strive towards reducing carbon footprints and worldwide emissions.

CEO Adrian Moore receiving the award on behalf of Xtrac, remarked, “The automotive industry is currently in a transition period from internal combustion engines to hybrids and electric vehicles. As a transmission supplier, we are right at the forefront of that transition. A lot of our work is on electric vehicles for motorsport or high-performance cars and in 2020 we received a Queen’s Award for Innovation for our lightweight electric vehicle gearbox”. Moore continued saying, “Our work didn’t stop during the pandemic and our factory stayed open. Motorsports paused for a few months, but Formula One and NASCAR in the US soon came back. We also scaled up our production capability to make thousands of components for Covid-19 ventilators.”

The TV250 judge’s commented that, “Our winner scored strongly in all areas, demonstrating their passion for innovation, and providing evidence of successful innovative projects, with both short- and long-term objectives. Not only have they made an impact within their own industry, but they’ve also shown remarkable agility and compassion, helping in the fight against Covid-19 by providing masks to local care homes and participating in the Ventilator Challenge UK initiative.”

The Thames Valley 250 awards recognise the top-performing 250 privately-owned businesses (by annual sales turnover) that are headquartered in the Thames Valley region of the UK.

The listing is compiled and published by The Business Magazine, using recognised data sources such as Companies House and Fame. To be considered for the listing, businesses need to be headquartered in the region – defined as all of Oxfordshire, all of Berkshire, West Surrey, North Hampshire, and parts of Buckinghamshire.

Read more here.

Agile powertrain engineering: maintaining quality in the face of increasing complexity

 December 1, 2021,  8am Detroit | 2pm Stuttgart

Exciting new technologies are becoming available at an increasing rate, and our experienced and versatile engineers are constantly learning and discovering new ways to harness them. Change is the only constant, yet to share our learning and make the most of these changes, we must develop and use stable business processes and automated tools.

An agile approach gives our experienced specialists the freedom to help our clients find innovative solutions while at the same time supporting them with a framework that ensures efficiency and quality.

In this free, 60-minute webinar, MAHLE Powertrain’s Tom Brooks and Gordon Kennedy explain how MApps, the general data processing toolset, which was developed using this approach, helps deliver customer benefits in the field of vehicle calibration.

Key topics and takeaways:

- Understand MAHLE Powertrain’s proven approach to help our clients deliver robust products and maintain brand quality

- Discover how to maximise utilisation of expensive and/or limited resources

- Learn how borrowing a two-stage batch processing approach from big data can make user scripts more efficient, maintainable and reusable

- Understand how short-cycle development iterations with close dialogue between software specialists and users lead to a fast and efficient response to change

The Government today launches an ambitious new ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ plan to help businesses across the UK double exports and sell their world-class products around the globe.

The 12-point export strategy - published today (Wednesday 17 November) by the Department for International Trade - will give businesses the tools they need to become a nation of exporters and reap the benefits of our free trade deals.

It includes an Export Support Service that offers a one-stop shop for exporting advice, and the launch of a new UK Tradeshow Programme better-tailored to help businesses, particularly those outside London and the South East, to attend and promote their products around the world.

DIT will also be expanding its Export Academy – launched in October – to roll it out across all of the UK including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The academy will invite owners and managers of SMEs to access masterclasses, roundtables and networking events that help them overcome common challenges first-time exporters face.

The UK exported £600 billion in goods and services last year, but only around one in ten GB businesses currently export – with the number of goods exporters falling behind continental competitors like Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Unlocking the UK’s exporting potential will help level up the country and boost the UK’s economy, with government commissioned research estimating that exports supported 6.5 million jobs across the UK in 2016, and showing that exporters pay higher wages. Separate analysis shows that goods exporting businesses are on average 21 percent more productive.

International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan is calling on businesses to ‘Race to a Trillion’ by seizing huge untapped opportunities on offer in the world’s fast-growing markets.

Secretary of State for International Trade, Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP, said:

"This is a defining moment in our national trading story. As we agree ambitious new trade deals around the world, it is more vital than ever that businesses across the UK take advantage of these opportunities and unleash their full exporting potential."

"Our export strategy will help more businesses start exporting and help those who already export to sell more products to more countries. Reaching £1 trillion worth of exports by the end of this decade means more jobs, more opportunities and higher wages helping the UK to level up and build back better."

This week, DIT is running the inaugural International Trade Week, featuring a series of over 100 events and workshops across the country hosted by expert trade advisers aimed to help businesses to take advantage of the export support available to them.

Minister for Exports, Mike Freer MP, said:

"We know businesses are at different points on their exporting journey. Some are already successful exporters but want to sell more products or reach new markets. Others are yet to take the leap and export for the first time."

"Whatever your story, our tailored support, expertise and international network is here and ready to help you maximise your ambitions and sell to the world."

The strategy - titled ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ - will see government work hand-in-hand with business to help them to succeed in the global marketplace through a first-class export support framework.

It will help replicate higher levels of exporting seen in the South East of England across all parts of the country to deliver on the Prime Minister’s ambition to level up the UK, and transform the country into a high-wage, high-skill, high-productivity economy.

The 12-point strategy includes:

- Launching the ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ campaign, championing the UK’s priority sectors through an innovative, localised marketing campaign that will promote the best of British goods and services in our towns and cities.

- The Export Support Service provides a single point of contact for exporters to Europe. Since launching in October the new export hotline and online service has helped hundreds of businesses to get exporting.

- UK Export Academy expansion to offer SMEs in all parts of the UK, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the chance to learn how to navigate the technicalities of exporting and how to find new opportunities in overseas markets.

- A new UK Tradeshow Programme will be bigger and better targeted to give UK companies, especially SMEs, a leg-up to exhibit their first-class products at the world’s biggest tradeshows.

- UK Export Finance - our world-leading export credit agency - will expand its offer with new products and a wider delivery network that will make it easier for UK exporters to secure business from overseas buyers.

- Export Champions, ensuring businesses can build and learn from exporting successes through business-to-business networking and peer-to-peer learning.

- Internationalisation Fund, open to SMEs in England, will aim to grow international sales, and has facilitated £4 million of support to SMEs attending Trade Fairs.

CBI President, Lord Karan Bilimoria said:

"The UK economy is at an inflection point. While current challenges in global trade persist and business continue to adjust to the UK’s new relationship with the EU, firms need to have an eye to future opportunities. The government has stepped up to provide greater practical support for exporters, and we now need to work together to get more British businesses thinking global for growth."

"The new Trade in Services Council (TISC) - called for and coordinated by the CBI - reflects the sector’s importance to the UK economy. It is crucial we better understand and articulate the value of this vital sector as we seek to level up, build globally competitive regions, and develop the goods and services which will drive decarbonisation."

British Chambers of Commerce Director-General, Shevaun Haviland said:

"More than 60% of Chamber members export overseas compared to just 10% of all businesses UK-wide. To turn the UK into the global economic powerhouse it deserves to be that has to change, and the launch of the DIT’s export strategy is a really positive step toward making that happen."

"We are keen to work with Government to lift export-led growth in sustainable goods, services and technologies for companies the length and breadth of the United Kingdom. We are uniquely placed to help with our unrivalled expertise in trade facilitation, the advice, training and brokerage services of Chamber Customs and the extensive market access provided by our 76 international chambers. Once you open the door to international trade the possibilities for expansion are endless."

Federation of Small Businesses National Chair, Mike Cherry said:

"As the voice of the UK’s small business community, FSB has been pleased to help develop today’s Export Strategy. For too long small firms have been faced with difficulty getting onto the exporting ladder, so we’re pleased to see many of these fundamental issues tackled head-on in this export plan."

"In our recent export report, we proposed simplifying how small firms can export, improving access to tradeshows support service and information on FTAs, as well as boosting trade skills. These will go a long way to seeing the numbers of exporters rise. Increasing small business exports will drive prosperity and growth, protecting the economic recovery from COVID."

Skyworks aeronautics announces collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering to fabricate the eGyro prototype

• Skyworks and Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) announce a strategic partnership to collaborate on the design, fabrication and testing of Skyworks’ eGyro™ electrically powered aircraft

• The gyroplane has been designed to provide a practical approach to intra and inter-city passenger transport, enabling a runway independent system

• Electrification of the powertrain has enabled innovative design solutions that are unrestricted by conventional technologies

Skyworks Aeronautics and Williams Advanced Engineering announce a strategic partnership to collaborate on the design, fabrication, and testing of Skyworks’ eGyro™ electrically powered aircraft.

The Skyworks eGyro has been designed to leverage the fundamental safety and performance advantages of a gyroplane to create a runway independent system that provides a practical approach to intra and inter-city passenger transport. With an autorotating main rotor, which allows the aircraft to land safely with even a complete loss of power, the eGyro is fundamentally safe. Electrification of the powertrain has enabled innovative design solutions that are no longer restricted by conventional technologies.

“The eGyro re-envisions the gyroplane for the 21st century. The eGyro performance, efficiency, and unparalleled safety provide a compelling approach to Urban Air Mobility (UAM), remarked Skyworks’ Chief Technology Advisor Don Woodbury. “The partnership with WAE will bring their amazing talents with aerodynamics and design as well as their electric powertrain capabilities to the eGyro and further our efforts to create a best-in-class UAM system”.

With years of experience working with the likes of Airbus to develop the Zephyr record-breaking high altitude unmanned aerial system (UAS), as well as BAE Systems, on the electrification of future aircraft, WAE’s credentials are perfectly suited to this project.

“We are excited to be partnering with Williams Advanced Engineering, born from Formula 1 racing, a globally recognized leader in advanced composites, electrification systems, and lightweight engineering, to develop our groundbreaking eGyro electric aircraft,” stated John Michel, Skyworks’ Chief Executive Officer.  ”Their past experience make  them the perfect development and testing partner to make the promise of electrified gyro technology an exciting reality.”

Paul McNamara, Technical Director, Williams Advanced Engineering said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Skyworks on this innovative project. Aerodynamics, lightweight advanced materials and electrification are core competencies for us – and we’re looking forward to applying them to the eGyro, which seems set to redefine the gyroplane; bringing about a step change in aeronautical e-mobility.”

Read more here.

• Reaction Engines, IP Group, and the UK Government funded Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) are joining forces to create a world leading decarbonisation technology company

• New venture will combine Reaction Engines’ heat exchanger technology developed for its SABRE™ air-breathing rocket engine, STFC’s leading ammonia catalyst expertise and funding from IP Group 

• Collaboration will design and bring to market lightweight and compact cracking reactors for green ammonia, providing power and propulsion solutions for hard-to-decarbonise sectors such as transport and power infrastructure

At the COP26 Summit in Glasgow, Reaction Engines, IP Group and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) have announced the formation of a joint venture technology company to produce lightweight and compact ammonia cracker reactors for use in hard to decarbonise sectors.

The new joint venture will design and bring to market lightweight and compact ammonia reactors to enable the use of ammonia as a zero-carbon fuel for use in transport applications, such as aviation and marine shipping, in addition to other hard-to-decarbonise applications such as power generation, particularly ‘stranded grids’ or ‘off grid’ applications. The reactor will catalytically crack the ammonia into an easy to combust fuel for gas turbines and internal combustion engines. 

The collaboration will combine Reaction Engines’ heat exchanger technology developed for its SABRE engine and currently being used in other technology applications, STFC’s leading expertise in developing ammonia catalyst technology, along with funding and venture-building expertise from IP Group. 

Commenting, Dr James Barth, Ammonia Programme Lead, Reaction Engines, said:

“I am thrilled to see the hard work we’ve been undertaking with our partners at STFC culminate in the formation of a new joint venture to bring to market decarbonisation technology solutions. Having IP Group’s backing for Reaction Engines’ first commercial spin-out is a huge vote of confidence in the compact, lightweight ammonia reactor technology we are developing. We are excited to work together to help decarbonise power and propulsion systems in transport, power generation, and other hard to abate sectors.”

Fully decarbonising transport, and particularly long-distance travel, remains one of the hardest to solve technological challenges as countries seek to move towards a net-zero economy. The ideal future beyond current maritime and aviation fuels would be a carbon-free alternative that mimics all the essential propulsion properties of existing carbon-based fuels. Appropriately blended using the unique lightweight cracker technology developed by the new joint venture, ammonia and hydrogen together can be the carbon-free substitute that addresses the challenges of hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation and maritime.

Ammonia is a product that is currently widely transported and stored globally, has a higher volumetric energy density than hydrogen and can be used alongside hydrogen as a zero-carbon replacement for other carbon-based fuels. 

The joint venture technology company is taking forward IP that was developed with STFC proof-of-concept funding as part of STFC’s active support for innovative technologies. The collaboration was kick-started through the Harwell Energytec Cluster and initially funded by the STFC cross-cluster proof of concept.

Professor Bill David FRS, STFC Senior Fellow and Professor of Energy Materials Chemistry at the University of Oxford, said:

“After completing STFC funded proof-of-concept projects, I am excited about the impact that our technology can have in enabling low-impact transitions in hard-to-abate energy sectors. Playing to the complementary strengths of ammonia and hydrogen, our cracker technology can rely on the global ammonia infrastructure to provide, at scale, blended ammonia-hydrogen fuels that mimic fossil fuel performance and offer affordable retrofitted energy solutions.”           

The joint venture will be supported by initial seed equity funding from IP Group and will work closely with Reaction Engines and STFC to design and commercialise each company’s intellectual property. 

Dr Robert Trezona, Head of Cleantech, IP Group, said:

“As the leading cleantech venture investor in the UK, we are delighted to be partnering with two of the country’s most innovative organisations to pursue ammonia for energy. With the Energy Transitions Commission, we highlighted green ammonia as an essential component of a net-zero economy in the Mission Possible report 2018. The combination of technologies from Reaction Engines and STFC is a profound breakthrough and we are excited to be joining forces to build a technology champion in this space.”

At present aviation and maritime account for 5% of total global carbon emissions and both sectors are expected to see significant increases in carbon emissions over the coming years.

Read more here.

UK and US collaboration powers major series from 2022

Your chance to question and a discussion with two outstanding leaders in UK and European race technologies. Formula One’s popularity is accelerating globally and embraces new technical rules next year. European Le Mans racing and IMSA are finding common ground.  Discover from these experts how this could impact on international motorsport. 

“There has never been a time when US and UK technologies have come so close. These are exciting times.” says Chris Aylett from the MIA.  

The MIA will host a one-hour session on Tuesday, November 30, 2021 at 8am PST (16:00 UK Time).

Our speakers include:

		Pat Symonds, Chief Technical Officer, Formula One Pat Symonds’ 40+ years working with motorsport’s most accomplished teams and drivers has led to him being Chief Technical Officer of Formula One, closely involved the 2022 F1 regulations.   His career started designing championship winning cars for open wheel formulae and joined the Toleman F1 team to work with Ayrton Senna. He went on to extraordinary success with Benetton and subsequently Renault. His partnerships with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso produced 32 race wins, four F1 Drivers’ World Championships and three F1 Constructors’ World Championships. He became CTO at the Williams F1 team until the end of 2016 season helping them to rise from ninth to third in the World Championship.  He is a visiting professor at Cranfield University, a chartered engineer and a Fellow of both the IMechE and the RAeS.
		Peter Digby, President, Xtrac Xtrac is the world leader in the design and manufacture of gearboxes and transmission components for leading teams and manufacturers in Formula One, NASCAR, World Rally, IndyCar, Touring Cars and Sports Cars in addition to a fast growing High Performance Automotive division. Peter joined Xtrac shortly after it was founded and has led the business to now employ over 365 people. He was appointed President of Xtrac Ltd in 2018. In 2017, Xtrac partnered with Inflexion Private Equity to help fund Xtrac’s rapid recent expansion in the UK and the USA, including a large factory extension opened by the UK Prime Minister. Peter is a past Chairman of the Motorsport Industry Association, a Director of the British Racing Drivers Club and a Fellow of Institute of Directors
		Chris Aylett, Chief Executive, Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) Chris has been Chief Executive of the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) since 1998 and he has driven it forward to become the world’s leading business organisation for the high-performance engineering and motorsport entertainment industry.   Prior to this he was a successful team owner and driver, and a series promoter of sports car racing in Europe for 20 years.

FREE TO ATTEND – REGISTER FOR YOUR PLACE HERE

Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) and Castrol have entered into a five-year technical partnership to co-develop high performance Electric Vehicle (EV) Fluids. As part of the agreement, Castrol will become the official supplier of EV Thermal Fluids for WAE’s growing electrification programmes and motorsport activities such as Formula E, Extreme E, ETCR and LMdH.

Castrol will develop and supply EV Thermal Fluids that are suitable for Williams Advanced Engineering’s (WAE) high-performance motorsport batteries from May 2022.

While the partnership will initially focus on Williams Advanced Engineering’s motorsport activities, the two companies will look to develop a full range of EV Fluids for wider electrification projects covering the aerospace and marine sectors. With many forms of mobility now focused on electrification, the need for advanced battery cooling systems to operate reliably and efficiently is essential.

The partnership will enable Williams Advanced Engineering to access the complete Castrol ON product range, which includes EV Transmission Fluids, EV Thermal Fluids and EV Greases; allowing WAE’s technical teams to access the latest developments in EV Fluids for battery cooling systems, including immersive cooling technology. Concepts will also be explored to improve second life performance and circularity of batteries and fluids.

By jointly identifying, specifying and developing advanced EV Thermal Fluids for specific applications, Castrol and Williams Advanced Engineering aim to create industry-leading products, optimised for each specific application.

Craig Wilson, CEO, Williams Advanced Engineering said: “We are delighted to be part of this strategic partnership with Castrol which I believe will allow the development of products specifically designed to support electrification, in whatever form that takes. In addition to the motorsport sector, I believe advanced fluid technology will be important to a number of other key sectors.”

A.S. Ramchander, Vice President – Marketing and GAM, Castrol said: “As the world of mobility accelerates towards an electric future, it’s essential that we fully understand the requirements and challenges of electrifying all forms of mobility. By partnering with Williams Advanced Engineering, we hope to support the development of cutting-edge mobility solutions, as well as further advance our EV Fluid technologies.”

Read more here.

Full customs controls and checks will commence on 1 January 2022 for goods entering Great Britain from the EU. 

The UK government has recently confirmed that it will not postpone this deadline. This means that import customs declarations will be mandatory from 1 January 2022 and can no longer be delayed for such goods. 

You can complete these declarations yourself or use an agent BUT even if using an agent, the legal responsibility for accuracy of the data included falls to the importer. 

Prepare for the changes 

Don’t get caught out. The IOE&IT has created a suite of courses here to ensure your business and staff are prepared for these significant changes: 

• Trading with the EU 
• Completing customs declarations 
• Introduction to importing 
• Advanced importing 
• Customs procedures and documentation 
• How to classify your goods 

Read more here.

Hypermotive is one of almost 30 UK based businesses that have worked together to deliver Britain’s first hydrogen-powered train which will be showcased by Porterbrook, in partnership with Network Rail, at November’s UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow.

Porterbrook has invested £7m in the HydroFLEX, which will demonstrate how green-hydrogen and innovative-engineering can accelerate delivery of environmental benefits to passengers and the communities the railway serves.

The build and delivery of HydroFLEX has been supported by the University of Birmingham and a range of businesses, many new to rail, which has successfully created the UK’s first hydrogen-rail supply chain.

Hypermotive has been proud to work with Porterbrook as part of the supply chain team that has delivered HydroFLEX within less than a year.

As part of the project, Hypermotive designed and supplied the Independent Power System Controller (IPSC) and electrical systems to manage the hydrogen fuel storage, energy conversion systems and energy storage systems that power the train.   The deliverables included electrical design, electronic controller design, complex systems engineering, software development, and manufacture of the controller and associated wiring harnesses.

This cross-industry collaboration will see the ground-breaking HydroFLEX make its first passenger journeys at COP26, to showcase the possibility of leading British green technology on the world stage.

The HydroFLEX train at COP26 includes an ‘on-board boardroom’, giving invited special guests the chance to use the train to support the globally significant discussions that will take place in and around the COP.

Hypermotive was critical in providing the IPSC controller and rail specification wiring harnesses with over 3km of wire providing the main energy delivery control system and instrumentation for the train.

Jeremy Bowman, Engineering Director and co-founder of Hypermotive, said:

“Our contribution to the HydroFLEX project has been a highlight of 2021 and has once again allowed Hypermotive to demonstrate our capability to efficiently and innovatively integrate the functions of hydrogen storage, fuel cell technology and batteries into a complex and demanding platform.  Our flexible development approach has allowed us to work closely with Porterbrook and their suppliers from the early concept stage of the project through to manufacturing and delivery of a unique control system, fully optimised for the application.”

Mary Grant, CEO of Porterbrook, said:

“We are incredibly proud to work alongside some truly great British businesses, whose skills and expertise have helped us take HydroFLEX to COP26. This reflects a high level of collaboration across the private sector which in turn has been supported by our Network Rail and University of Birmingham partners. Seeing HydroFLEX in action in Glasgow will be a true milestone moment as we accelerate the rail industry’s journey towards Net Zero.”

Read more here.

AP Racing, the world-renowned brake and clutch supplier, has expanded its partnership with Pagani Automobili S.p.A., the iconic Italian hypercar manufacturer, to develop a new pedal box specifically designed for the Huayra R.  
 
As a long-standing partner of Pagani – having worked on the development of the clutch system for both the Zonda and the Huayra – AP racing has expanded the relationship with the development, testing and now manufacture of a bespoke high specification sliding pedal box for the atelier’s latest creation. 
 
The Huayra R is Pagani’s most extreme hypercar. Designed for track use only, it features a naturally-aspirated V12 that revs to 9000 rpm and generates 850 HP and 750 Nm of torque. Limited to just 30 examples with a base price of €2.6 million, the Huayra R is a celebration of performance, technology and art that epitomises the achievement and future of the Pagani brand. 
 
As a track-focused hypercar, the quality, ergonomics, feel and aesthetic of the pedal box was extremely important. Not only would it be a key focal point of driver interaction, but a vital control input to extract maximum performance. With the goal of meeting the ambitious target of only 1,050 kg for the Huayra R, minimising weight was also a keen priority for the Pagani engineers.  
 
To meet the quality, performance and design expectations of Pagani’s technical team, AP Racing worked with them closely to better understand their aims. Together, they worked through several design iterations, each time refining and lightening the bespoke pedal box design until it had been perfected. With testing now complete, AP Racing is manufacturing the pedal boxes for all 30 production cars and their customer-dedicated accompanying simulators.  
 
Horacio Pagani, Founder of Pagani Automobili S.p.A., commented: “It is always a pleasure to work with AP Racing, a trusted supplier to Pagani since 1999. We had very challenging goals for the Huayra R's pedal box, as it is a key driver input and feedback component – integral to the overall driving experience. The AP Racing team has done an excellent job of minimising weight while also exceeding our expectations for quality and ergonomic design.” 
 
David Hamblin, Managing Director at AP Racing, commented: “Horacio Pagani and the Pagani Automobili brand are iconic within the automotive world, combining luxury and extreme attention to detail with incredible performance. We are thrilled to be working with the Pagani team once again, this time providing pedal boxes that meet the quality, performance, feel and aesthetic expectations of Pagani’s customers.  
 
“From the beginning, we knew that the pedal box would need to be optimised for driver performance and would play a key role in how the Huayra R felt to drive. We worked with Pagani’s engineers to refine the design, removing weight wherever possible without compromising styling or function. Now, as we move into production, we look forward to continuing and building upon our relationship with Pagani as a trusted supplier and engineering partner.” 
 
For more information on Pagani Automobili and the Huayra R, visit: https://www.pagani.com/. 
 
To learn more about AP Racing and its industry-leading braking solutions, visit: https://www.apracing.com/. 

Movement to decarbonise the maritime sector must be started now to avoid locking in long term future emissions. This stark message features in a new white paper on the future of the shipping industry published by Ricardo.
 
Graeme MacLean, Ricardo’s Principal Consultant on this project, said: “There are significant challenges ahead for the sector as it moves towards net zero, but we believe that the maririme sector can succeed in achieving this goal. However there are some big decisions to be made and the business owners and investors need support to take the necessary steps now.
 
“Vessels have long lifetimes, so it is vital that decarbonisation is built into vessel and infrastructure procurement, otherwise it could be decades before the sector starts to make serious inroads into its emissions.”
 
The barriers and uncertainties are far-reaching. Future fleets may use one of a number of low or zero-carbon energy vectors, each of which could have an effect on the way the vessel operates. Additionally, ports need to understand which future fuels they will need to bunker, then to prepare the bunkering barges, fuel storage and fuel suppliers, and also have the knowledge to do so safely.
 
The white paper states that while it may feel like there is little incentive to invest in true decarbonisation, increasing pressure is coming from governments and other legislators, investors decarbonising their portfolios, and customers needing to decarbonise their supply chain.
 
Mr MacLean said: “The maritime sector is under no illusions that it will have to decarbonise, but it is far from straightforward and unlikely to be cheap. Rather than a sudden switchover, forward-thinking operators, owners, ports and fuel suppliers will collaborate to make use of financial incentives to co-develop cost effective routes which demonstrate the possibilities. 

“Ricardo has specialists in the different areas, whether that is the technology, the economics or even the politics to help make this happen. We hope by publishing this white paper, we can demonstrate to key players that the solutions are out there, and we can help find them.”
 
To download a copy of the white paper, click here

AP Racing are excited to announce their new “first to market” Forged Steel, 6 Piston Radi-CAL™ brake caliper, and the addition of nickel plating surface treatment options to the whole Pro 5000 R brake caliper range.

The Steel brake caliper is unique, and has been specifically designed for the Pickup Truck/SUV & Armoured vehicle markets. Available in an advanced gloss Black, Red or Silver paint finish, the new caliper provides a braking solution to GVW of up to 10,000lbs.

To their Pro 5000 R range of track day/light race calipers the addition of nickel plated surface treatment, which is typically reserved for the highest forms of Motorsport such as Nascar, F1 and various GT series. Stop by booth 24325 to check them out and discuss with their team.

Read more here.

Hypermotive expands it’s manufacturing!

Hypermotive have opened a new manufacturing facility in Northampton, in the heart of Motorsport Valley, to support the growing demand for our electrical systems manufacture and vehicle integration. The 7000ft2 building, just off the M1 at Brackmills, has undergone an extensive fit-out to Hypermotive’s specifications.

The new facility includes dedicated series volume production lines, plus a large number of configurable workstations for batch manufacturing of electrical systems and low and high voltage wire harnessing. The facility also includes extensive vehicle workshops with vehicle lifting and overhead craneage, further expanding Hypermotive’s vehicle integration capability out to commercial vehicles, rail and marine.

Brad O’Nians, Director – “This facility is an exciting new chapter in the continued growth of Hypermotive. Over the past few months, we’ve been working closely with the site contractors to configure the building to our exact needs. It will allow us to maximise our production efficiency and capacity to better meet the increasing needs of our customers and support the growth in the electrification sector.”

Read more here.

When McLaren enters Extreme E in 2022, it will do so with Multimatic as its Vehicle Dynamics Partner. The McLaren Extreme E team has joined the innovative all-electric off-road series and will compete in the five-race global championship in 2022.

Extreme E offers an opportunity to test clean technology innovations in some of the world’s toughest environments, whilst highlighting the impact of climate change. The series is focused on raising awareness of sustainability, by showcasing a low carbon future via the adoption of electric vehicles and by promoting diversity, equality and inclusion.

McLaren will use Multimatic’s Vehicle Dynamics Development Centre to prepare its all-electric ODYSSEY 21 Extreme E SUV ahead of the 2022 race season. Situated in Norfolk, UK, the facility is home to an innovative multi-post rig, one of the company’s Driver in the Loop (DiL) simulators and a state-of-the-art K&C rig.

Multimatic will provide the support of two world-class engineers to the collaborative programme.  Leena Gade will serve as the team’s Race Engineer, while Teena Gade will undertake Performance and Systems engineering.

Best known for scoring three outright 24 Hours of Le Mans victories as a race engineer with Audi Sport, Leena Gade joined Multimatic as Vehicle Dynamics Centre Manager and Race Engineer in 2018. In addition to running one of the UK’s most respected Vehicle Dynamics development facilities, she is the President of the FIA’s GT Commission and a leading voice on the FIA Commission for Women in Motorsport. For the past three years she has also race engineered Mazda’s DPi programme in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Teena Gade’s engineering background is just as impressive as her older sister’s. She has worked across the spectrum of motorsport engineering, from Formula 1 with Williams, Force India and AlphaTauri, through to World Rally with Prodrive and Skoda and sportscar racing with various teams. She also worked as a data and systems engineer on the JCB Diesel Max land speed record programme.

“This is an exciting challenge for us at Multimatic as it is a new arena so it provides huge opportunity for learning,” said Leena. “McLaren has put together a great team and we have already started work. I’m thrilled to also be working with Teena on this project. We worked together in Superleague Formula many years ago but not to the extent that we are now. I’m often asked what the secret formula is in our family but it’s actually very simple: Our parents always told us that we could do whatever we wanted to do as long as we worked incredibly hard at it.”

Executive Vice President of Multimatic Special Vehicle Operations, Larry Holt added: “We have had a long history of collaboration with McLaren and this is a new chapter in the relationship.  Zak (Brown) has consistently proven his instinct for where are our industry needs to head, and this latest move into Extreme E is another that I fully agree is imperative to focus attention on sustainability, reduced carbon emissions and ultimately the viability of the sport.  Leena and Teena share that same passion for making change and so the decision to take-on the vehicle dynamics aspect of the McLaren programme was a no-brainer.  A further synergy of the initiative is that it coincides with Multimatic’s growing business in the off-road damper sector and so the learnings that come from developing the vehicle dynamics for the massively challenging events associated with Extreme E will undoubtedly strengthen our knowledge and capability in that space.  Oh, and Zak and I share a passion for winning!!”  

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APC’s Technology Developer Accelerator Programme (TDAP) is officially back for its sixth wave and is now accepting expression of interest applications. TDAP is designed to support early-stage, innovative zero-emission enabling automotive technology, providing up to £135,000 in combined grant-funding, technical support, networking opportunities and business mentoring to help accelerate the route to market. 

To date, this programme has supported 36 businesses to develop and commercialise their technology, providing a total of £7 million in funding.

TDAP could give your business the boost it needs? Find out more about eligibility and how to apply.