TMETC partners with WMG to augment its tech base

The UK’s technology base was given a major boost when Tata Motors’ European Technical Centre (TMETC), a wholly-owned UK-based subsidiary of Tata Motors, announced that it will be expanding its partnership with WMG at the University of Warwick. TMETC plans to increase its team of highly skilled engineers working on the campus by 40 pc over the next two years. Tata Motors has invested over £85m in automotive R&D at TMETC since it was established on the University Campus in 2005 and it already has a team of 240 engineers and researchers working alongside WMG colleagues, with 60 of these hired over the last 12 months due to increased R&D investment. TMETC announced that it aims to increase the engineering and research force by a further 100 to 340 by 2013. Dr. Tim Leverton, Head of Advanced and Product Engineering at Tata Motors Limited said, “This announcement represents a further demonstration of Tata’s long-term commitment to build and develop R&D facilities here in the UK. TMETC plays a vital role in Tata Motors global R&D network. Tata Motors gets access to world class thoughts, skills and technologies through the TMETC and its collaboration with WMG. The contribution of TMETC and WMG is important to Tata Motors product development.” TMETC’s engineers, who have extensive experience in automotive research, design and development, work alongside WMG researchers in Low Carbon Technology collaborative R&D programmes. The focus on Low Carbon Technology has already started to produce tangible results, for example Tata Motors’ Vista Electric Vehicle which will be built at a factory in Coventry and will be available to fleet customers in the UK later this year. Tata Motors’ Pixel City Car, which was unveiled by the Chairman, Ratan N. Tata, and Managing Director & Group CEO, Carl-Peter Forster at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month, has also been developed on WMG campus. Based on the Tata Nano, the Tata Pixel is a concept car aimed at the European market and features a Zero Turn Infinitely Variable Transmission which gives it a turning circle radius of just 2.6 metres, making it ideal for driving in dense urban environments. Nick Fell, Director of TMETC, said “WMG and TMETC are building on five years of successful partnership to further grow TMETC’s presence at the University of Warwick. We plan to further increase our team on the campus by up to 100 over the next two years, and are discussing establishing test and development facilities here. This shows a clear commitment to build and develop our R&D and facilities here in the UK in collaboration with WMG for the long term.” This was supported by WMG Director, Professor Lord Bhattacharyya, who said “Technology businesses such as Tata are crucial to us solving global challenges that will require new thinking energy, climate change related technologies. Tata’s work alongside WMG will meet those challenges and will even lead the field in new low carbon technologies. Tata’s Pixel concept city car is a clear symbol of Tata’s current technological prowess and its future aspirations.” The announcement comes shortly after research by the Council for Industry and Higher Education which indicates that Britain’s manufacturing sector could be re-energised by a closer collaboration between companies and the science and technology departments at top universities.