Kingdom comes for Lotus: Saudi government relies on Norfolk automotive engineering excellence in an alliance overseen by Group Lotus CEO, Mike Kimberley
The engineering division of Norfolk carmaker, Lotus, is helping to create an ecologically driven automotive technology hothouse in Saudi Arabia – a project that sits at the heart of an aggressive economic growth strategy for the kingdom.
Lotus has been commissioned by the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) to develop an R & D and test centre to support the manufacturing infrastructure within Saudi Arabia. It will be open to all vehicle manufacturers.
The long-term objective is to optimise Saudi Arabia’s industrial capabilities and better utilise its vast natural resources. The automotive industry is seen as a major driver of growth for the territory.
Lotus has already been involved in the first stage of the strategy by installing a new engine and test cell facility in the kingdom – a programme started in 2006. That facility was commissioned with Lotus Engineering and uses the highly sophisticated Lotus optical research engine.
KACST’s strategy is to achieve an automotive design, development and testing capability for Saudi Arabia within a 10-year period, starting in 2008.
A newly established team of highly skilled automotive engineers from KACST, Lotus and Lotus’ owner PROTON will also enable the partners to develop a technology base for the entire automotive industry in Saudi Arabia.
Group Lotus CEO, Mike Kimberley, said Lotus was ideally placed to support KACST through the company’s extensive experience in both niche and high volume vehicle and engine development and manufacture.
He said: “Lotus Engineering continues to provide hi-tech engineering consultancy for the world’s automotive industry and our world-class research & development is unrivalled.
“It is an exciting challenge to initiate a technology base for the automotive industry in Saudi Arabia and to develop an infrastructure to increase the ecological capabilities of the industry.”
Lotus’ owner PROTON is world class in achieving successful technology transfer from established automotive manufacturers besides its own, home-grown capabilities.
To enhance the engineering and manufacturing skill base in Saudi Arabia, Lotus and PROTON will be providing training in all aspects of automotive engineering to KACST employees using facilities at the Lotus headquarters in Hethel, Norfolk, as well as PROTON’s facilities in Malaysia.
The new initiative comes with royal approval. Prince Turki bin Saud bin Mohammad Al Saud said: “The co-operation is consistent with the national industrial strategy and the mission of the industrial cluster programmes that emphasise the creation of an automotive industry in the kingdom.
“We need to develop environment friendly technologies in order to sustain the utilisation of oil with less harmful effects to the environment.”
News 
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Delicious
Digg
NewsVine
Reddit
Technorati