Lotus Engineering Malaysia Picks Up Speed
Lotus Engineering, the automotive engineering consultancy division of Group Lotus plc (in which Proton has an 80% equity) is stretching east to Asia with the opening of a new design engineering centre in Malaysia. Group Lotus, which also manufactures the prestigious Lotus sportscars is one of the world’s leading automotive engineering consultancies and has worked with almost every major automobile manufacturer and world-class component manufacturers.
The favourable and fast-moving ASEAN economy has prompted Lotus to develop a greater presence in this region and in particular in Malaysia. As a “corporate neighbour” to some of the world’s leading car manufacturers, Lotus is able to offer a number of benefits to its customers including improved communications with its clients and the ability to stay in tune with the ASEAN market.
Lotus Engineering Malaysia Ltd (LEM) is based at Technology Park Malaysia outside Kuala Lumpur. By locating itself at this nationally-recognised centre of advanced technological R&D, Lotus is able to capitalise upon the area’s highly developed IT infrastructure. This will ensure fast data communications between all of Lotus’ worldwide sites and facilities, ensuring that projects are carried out speedily across several time zones
“It will be true global project management,” declared Simon Wood, Group Technology Director of Group Lotus plc. Mr Wood said that although this is the era of electronic communications and real-time interaction, there is still nothing better than face-to-face meetings and with the close proximity of the Malaysian office, Lotus engineers can be at Proton’s offices in 15 minutes.
The primary function of the 424 sq. metre facility, which began operations late last year, is design engineering for the automotive industry with the focus on design excellence and digital processes such as Computer Aided design (CAD) and Computer Aided Engineering (CAE).
The international team within LEM are experts in the fields of design engineering and will be supported by talented and skilled local engineers who will have the opportunity to gain from the transfer of skills, technologies and procedures from one of the world’s finest engineering consultancies.
Currently, the facility has 27 staff, with the figure expected to rise to 120 over the next 12 months. Lotus’ philosophy is to take highly educated graduate and post-graduate designers and engineers and integrate them in to its innovative ways of working by building upon its high technology brand and reputation. Through exposure to Lotus’ technologies, these engineers will help to make Malaysia a world leading R&D centre which will both work in partnership and complement the existing mature manufacturing base.
“Malaysia has a well-deserved reputation for producing well educated and world -experienced engineers. We at Lotus are keen to assist Malaysia in capitalising upon this enviable engineering resource by providing opportunities for these skills,” said Mr Wood, in explaining why Lotus has established LEM.
“LEM will become a global design centre, which will complement and be an addition to Lotus’ site and facility portfolio around the world. Therefore, by making full use of these other sites around the world, LEM will be able to offer the Asian-based automotive industry and, in particular, Lotus’ ASEAN clients and customers a full engineering service from concept to production,” added Kevin Elgood, General Manager of LEM.
While LEM will be aiming to do business with new clients in the automotive industry in the region, Mr Wood admitted that its main activity in the coming three years would be mainly with Proton. He added that in due course, Lotus would also be introducing its European and North American clients to Proton’s R&D facilities with a view towards getting new consultancy business for Proton as well.
UTP and Lotus
In a related developed Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) and Lotus have joined forces in an industrial partnership that will spearhead a new technology transfer relationship between the two organisations.
The partnership between UTP (one of the leading academic and technology institutions in the ASEAN region) and Lotus, will include the following:
– Joint research programmes such as Advanced combustion, Optical diagnostics and Active valvetrain;
– Industrial placements at Lotus for UTP students and staff;
– Technical papers, presentations and journal publications;
– Advanced engineering lecture programme by Lotus;
“By pooling resources from Lotus and UTP, we have a great opportunity to stretch the boundaries of research for the car of the future. I can see the scope within these two skilled teams to research into safer, more efficient and more advanced vehicles to take the car not just 5 years ahead but well into the next decade and beyond,” said Mr Wood.
Mr Wood is in Malaysia as part of a team visiting local universities and presenting the ‘Lotus Engineering Roadshow’. The event was also presented at Proton’s premises in Shah Alam today and attended by Lord Sainsbury, the British Minister of Science & Technology, who also took the opportunity to visit the factory.
