The formal dedication of the Sir Harry Ricardo Low Carbon Technology Centre at the Ricardo Midlands Technical Centre site at Leamington Spa, UK, marks a further milestone in the development of Ricardo as the leading supplier of environmentally sustainable technology to the transportation and related industrial sectors
Ricardo’s Midlands Technical Centre site has long been the focus of the company’s motorsport, transmission and vehicle engineering activities. In this highly demanding market sector, Ricardo has a world-class reputation in the design and manufacture of high performance, state-of-the-art transmission and driveline systems offering exceptional efficiency as well as durability and reliability. With skills honed in an environment in which energy efficiency is of paramount importance, this site is a natural choice to
become the focus of significant low carbon technology development. In addition to the company’s work on electric and hybrid vehicle systems – including, for example, the KERS systems now used in Formula 1 – high performance energy management systems and other low carbon technologies, engineers at this site are increasingly involved in work to support the wind energy sector, in which gearbox reliability is a critical issue for wind farm operators and investors.
The Low Carbon Technology Centre is being named in honour of Sir Harry Ricardo (1885-1974), who founded the company today known as Ricardo plc in 1915. Among the achievements of this great British technological trailblazer were aircraft and automotive engines of unparalleled performance and efficiency, featuring technologies that defined the very cutting edge of engineering design. His spirit of practical innovation laid the foundations for the global success of Ricardo, and informs the work of the company today.
Commenting on the dedication of the Sir Harry Ricardo Low Carbon Technology Centre, Ricardo CEO, Dave Shemmans, said:
“I would like to thank The Duke of York personally and on behalf of Ricardo for taking time to visit our Midlands Technical Centre and formally dedicate the Sir Harry Ricardo Low Carbon Technology Centre. It is entirely appropriate that we should name the facility in honour the company’s founder, Sir Harry Ricardo, an outstanding technology innovator of the last century and the person who remains an inspiration to the company that still proudly bears his name today. The Sir Harry Ricardo Low Carbon Technology Centre is just the latest demonstration of our company’s commitment to develop practical and sustainable low carbon technology solutions to the current and future needs of the global automotive industry and related sectors such as renewable power generation.”
This press release can be read in full by clicking here. Also, Ricardo's Quarterly Magazine can be found here.
