* SEMINAR ALERT *

Working with the naval design partnership

Lunch time seminar – Marine Design Centre, Wednesday 19th December 2007

As the UK moves towards a single shipbuilding entity for warships and submarines, the Naval Design Partnership (NDP) is being established by the MOD to retain the diversity and innovation that is crucial in our design work. The NDP will be the new vehicle for early stage design across future naval projects, including MARS, FSC and the successor submarine, and will be open across the entire supply chain to establish ‘rainbow’ project design teams.

Adrian Cudmore, Ship Design Authority, FIPT, who is on the team establishing the NDP, will update us on immediate and long term plans and tell us how we can engage with the Naval Design Partnership.

Formal invitations for this important seminar will be sent out very soon but you can reserve your place now by calling us on 0191 2551710 or emailing info@marinedesigncentre.com. Places are free to Marine Design Centre members and £25 (excl. VAT) to non members, and are restricted to 2 per company. Space is limited so act quickly to reserve your place!

John and Simon Jump On Board

We are delighted to welcome John Lockey and Simon Ellis to our growing team here at the Marine Design Centre.

Both have joined as business development managers with the aim of developing the regional membership and to also build relationships with companies who can place contracts with members.

David Hewitt, Director of the Marine Design Centre, said: “We are delighted to welcome John and Simon on board. They offer a very interesting blend of experience and expertise and will be valuable additions to the team. Everything is now in place for us to support the regional supply chain as it looks to take a growing share of the major projects that are increasingly being placed across the commercial shipping, defence, oil and gas and renewables sectors.”

(left to right) Business development managers Simon Ellis and John Lockey with David Hewitt, Director of the Marine Design Centre.

Simon who has an MBA, joins from the marketing team at the Newcastle headquarters of Barratt Developments. Prior to that he was with RTC North based in Sunderland, where he managed marketing projects for a number of clients in a broad range of sectors.

John was formerly Director for the Department of Engineering and Science at Tyne Metropolitan College and is an electrical and electronic engineer with a design background. He has also spent a great deal of time in industry working in areas such as electronic design, contract engineering, marketing and management.

From an industry-body perspective, John has worked very closely with lead bodies such as SEMTA the sector skills council for Marine and Engineering and was representative on the sector skills group for electronics. John is also chair of the National Forum of Engineering Centres.

John and Simon have been busy getting to grips with their new roles and have already met with a large number of existing and potential members.

Simon said: “The Marine Design Centre offers a wonderful opportunity for the region to carry forward its maritime heritage and to demonstrate to the world the top class skills the sector can offer. Both John and I have already met with a number of companies and it is clear that they see the Centre as providing a crucial support role in areas such as training and skills, business support, marketing, networking and collaboration. We look forward to working very closely with them to ensure that we meet their needs”

John said: “I have spent a great deal of my working life within industry and education addressing training and skills issues, so I know just how important this is to the marine design sector. We will look to work very closely with members to ensure that we support them and I believe that the contacts and understanding I have of the region’s colleges and universities will be very helpful in this respect.”

If you wish more information on the Marine Design Centre, John and Simon can be contacted on 0191 255 1710: email: simon.ellis@marinedesigncentre.com, john.lockey@marinedesigncentre.com

Imtech signs up

We are delighted to announce that Billingham-based Imtech Marine & Offshore Ltd has become the most recent company to take up membership of the Marine Design Centre.

Imtech offers innovative, high-quality technology for vessels and platforms. It is a total capability electrical system integrator, able to take complete technical and financial responsibility for all electrical automation systems.

Operating not only within the UK but on a global basis, the company is very active in the entire maritime market with experience ranging from passenger, commercial and naval ships: and more specifically luxury yachts, river and dredging vessels, workboats, and offshore production and utility platforms.

Imtech sales manager Tony Jones said: “Expenditure in the UK naval marine market is growing rapidly with major new-build programmes planned for the next 20 years.

“Consequently, we are experiencing very strong growth and to meet this we feel it is very important that we look to collaborate with other marine specialists, especially those that operate here in the North East. We see the Marine Design Centre as being the catalyst for a range services and expertise that we are very keen to tap into.”

DTI Renewables Group Utilise Conference Facilities

 

We were very pleased to host a recent meeting of the DTI Renewables Group. Our facility here at Central Square South with its panoramic views across the city is an ideal location for members and non-members to hire for meetings and seminars. We are also in a position to offer excellent in-house catering. For further information contact 0191 255 1710 or info@marinedesigncentre.com

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.