Ricardo-Delta Electronics Joint-Development Alliance Aims to Transform Advanced Automotive Electronics R&D and Supply
VAN BUREN TWP., Mich., Dec. 13 -- Global automotive technology provider Ricardo plc and leading international electronics company Delta Electronics, Inc. have today announced a joint-development alliance which aims to challenge the current paradigm of automotive electronics supply. The innovative business model of the joint-development alliance will mark a new generation of Tier 1 suppliers. The alliance will enable automakers to access advanced electronics R&D technology and high quality manufacturing resources, while allowing them to maintain brand identity and protect intellectual property (IP).
By combining their respective strengths in advanced electronics R&D and high quality manufacturing capabilities, the Ricardo-Delta alliance will create an entirely new business model to provide total solutions. Customers will still be able to work with a single point of contact for the purchase of new modules and systems. Crucially however, in doing so they will also benefit from the independent R&D expertise - and associated IP protection - of dealing with one of the world's leading independent technology developers. While both partners will continue to operate independently as dictated by the needs of their respective businesses, they both believe that the benefits of the alliance will be extremely attractive to potential customers.
"The new business model we aim to create through our alliance with Delta will enable customers to access the latest technology together with high quality, efficient manufacturing resources, while avoiding the risk of dilution of brand identity and leakage of IP," explains Karina Morley, Ricardo Director of Control & Electronics. "In effect we are creating a completely new generation of Tier 1 supplier designed to meet the future needs of the industry - it's a completely new approach which will bring significant benefits to customers."
"Delta is a global leader in electronics supply. This alliance will let us devote more of our advanced technology and efficient manufacturing capability to the automotive electronics field," says Simon Chang, Corporate Vice President of Delta Electronics. "Working with Ricardo we can offer customers advanced, independent R&D capability plus our core benefits of high quality and good service while maintaining a single customer interface."
With technical centers and offices throughout Europe, the U.S. and Asia, Ricardo is a leading independent technology provider and deep-content strategic management consultant to the world's transportation sector industries. The company's engineering expertise ranges from vehicle systems integration, controls, electronics and software development, to the latest driveline and transmission systems and gasoline, diesel, hybrid and fuel cell powertrain technologies. Its customers include the world's major automakers, tier 1 suppliers and leading motorsport teams. The headquarters of Ricardo's U.S. operations, Ricardo, Inc., is located at Van Buren Township, Michigan. The company's skill base represents the state-of-the-art in low emissions and fuel-efficient powertrain technology, and can be best summarized: "Ricardo is Fuel Economy." Ricardo plc posted sales of $344 million in financial year 2007 and is a constituent of the FTSE techMark 100 index - a group of innovative
technology companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.ricardo.com.
Source: Ricardo, Inc.
CONTACT: Anthony Smith, Ricardo Media, +44-1273-382710, media@ricardo.com;
Jeremy Burne, NSJ International, Inc, +1-248-822-3977, Jbftauto@aol.com
Web site: www.ricardo.com/
