Executive Lunch: Alan Johnston - CEO Designate of BVT - Wednesday 2nd April

This is a final reminder for this lunchtime meeting.

Alan Johnston, CEO designate of BVT Surface Fleet - the proposed joint venture between BAE Systems and VT Shipbuilding - is to speak at the Marine Design Centre on Wednesday 2nd April. BVT Surface Fleet is set to be the biggest shipbuilder in the UK and will have a key role to play in the detail design and construction of the CVF.

Alan will outline BVT's plans for the future and how best the Marine Design Centre and its individual members can engage with it.

Demand for places has been high; please contact us on 0191 255 1710 or email info@marinedesigncentre.com  to reserve a place.

For details on membership click here or contact us by phone or email.

 

Executive Lunch: Archie Bethel, Managing Director, Babcock Marine Services.

Babcock has a long and distinguished record in the defence sector. Major refits have included those on the aircraft carriers HMS Ark Royal, HMS Invincible and HMS Illustrious, along with numerous destroyers, frigates and minor warships. The National Audit Office's review of best practice in Defence Acquisition identified the HMS Illustrious refit as an example of ‘Gold Standard' practice. It intends to build on this pedigree by playing a key role in the Aircraft Carrier Alliance that will build and assemble the two new CVF future aircraft carriers.

Demand for places will be high; please contact us on 0191 255 1710 to reserve a place or email info@marinedesigncentre.com 

For details on membership click here or contact us by phone or email.

 

Norwegian visit Tuesday 1st April

The North East is hosting a major Oil & Gas Conference with thirty Norwegian oil and gas companies coming to the region. As part of their time in the city they will also be touring the Marine Design Centre on Tuesday 1st April to view the facilities and to learn of the work that we are doing for members.

David Hewitt, director of the Marine Design Centre, said: "This is a very important group of companies coming to the region and we are delighted to host them for part of their time here. They are in the region to make contacts and to do business and members can be assured that we will make sure they are made aware of the fantastic marine design sector we have in the region and our desire to do business with them."

As part of the conference itinerary North East companies can meet with the Norwegian visitors on April 2nd at the Newcastle-Gateshead Hilton Hotel.

For more details click here

Bringing Graduates Into The Sector

The Marine Design Centre is currently working in partnership with member companies and academic institutions in the delivery of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) and Collaborative Innovation Partnerships (CIP).

The objective of these initiatives is to provide companies with an appropriate graduate to work on a dedicated project selected by the company. The project length will be anything from six months to three years and can include design, marketing and information technology.

Support will be provided by an academic supervisor and companies will receive financial assistance.

If you are interested in obtaining more information on KTPs and CIPs please contact john.lockey@marinedesigncentre.com

 

AVEVA Training: Piping Catalogues & Specification

 

We are pleased to announce we are hosting a number of AVEVA training courses at the Marine Design Centre in the coming months. The first will take place on Monday the 28th of April covering Piping Catalogues & Specification. This five-day course will show how to recreate all engineering piping specifications in an AVEVA Plant Design Format, also including any additional piping components.

Through our partnership with Business Link funding is available to North East companies.

For further details click here

To book a place on this course please email info@marinedesigncentre.com or call 0191 255 1710.

 

Apprenticeships for the Marine Design Sector

We are hosting a meeting in April with member companies who are interested in recruiting high level trainees up to graduate level. The aim will be to ascertain the demand for apprentices and graduates, funding channels available, what companies need to do to attract new talent and the potential to establish a shared training programme for apprentices and graduates facilitated by the Marine Design Centre.

Business Development Manager, John Lockey, said: "One of the key aims of the Marine Design Centre is to help the sector address the skills issue. Member companies tell us that while they are able to identify and win new projects on a regular basis, they have found that the scarcity of skilled people is proving a real challenge and, in many cases, is now holding those companies back. This meeting is just one of a number of initiatives the Marine Design Centre will be focusing on during 2008 aimed at finding solutions to the skills issue and we would encourage as many members as possible to attend."

For further details and if you would like to attend, please contact john.lockey@marinedesigncentre.com  

 

New Member: Stauff Group    

We are delighted to announce that Sheffield-based Stauff Group is the latest company to take up membership of the Marine Design Centre.

Employing 160 staff and with a turnover of £19 million, the company is a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of hydraulic components and accessories.

Stauff has invested heavily in the UK over recent years, with the opening in 2007 of a purpose built, fully automated manufacturing and distribution centre.

The company's market sectors include commercial vessels, naval defence, offshore (oil and gas) and offshore renewable energy. Key customers include BAE Systems, A&P Group and Babcock - including superyachts, ship repair and ship design.

            

By taking commercially available off-the-shelf product, Stauff ensures the parts are suitable for both commercial & military new builds / re-fits alike. This by ensuring many of the world wide ship building approvals and standards are met and are already in place for the products they supply.

Andrew Shaw, business development manager for Stauff, said: "By becoming involved at the design / concept stage of a new project, we ensure the customer sources only the minimal number of parts and the skills required to complete the hydraulic installation are kept to an absolute minimum. Our solutions often involve only basic training and little or no hot work is required.

"With a global wholly-owned Stauff network we are well equipped to support future customer re-fit, maintenance requirements wherever they may be."

 

We want to know your news!

If you would like us to consider running some of your good news stories in our enewsletter or other promotional material that we produce, then please forward press releases and bulletins to info@marinedesigncentre.com.

Likewise, if there are any seminars or events that you would like us to consider organising, then also please contact us on 0191 255 1710 or email info@marinedesigncentre.com

We look forward to hearing from you.

 

‘Vacancies' section is just the job!

We are pleased to confirm the ‘vacancies' section we set up at the beginning of the year is proving a valuable platform for members seeking to recruit. This is a free service and we would encourage as many members as possible to take advantage of it.

Take a look at the page by clicking here.

Business Development Manager, Simon Ellis, said: "Awareness of the Marine Design Centre is growing all the time and there is a great deal of interest in our website. As such, it is a perfect platform for members to identify and attract top talent. With the sector doing so well it is harder than ever to attract new people, so we would encourage all members to utilise the facility.

Email your job vacancy details to info@marinedesigncentre.com