Ricardo Ramps Up China Operations

28 August 2008

Ricardo is undertaking a “highly substantial”, two-phase development of its Shanghai-based operations is to take place in the remainder of 2008. The first phase—the move to a new technical center—includes a tripling of the existing working area, with space for a staff of approximately 100 employees. Approximately 90% of the team are in technical and engineering roles.

The new Ricardo Shanghai technical center—which will serve both domestic and overseas customers—is based in a central location, close to the Hi-Tech Park development at Caohejing.

The second phase of development—expected to be completed towards the end of the year—envisages the establishment of a satellite test-based operation within the expanding Anting Auto City area to the west of Shanghai, where significant automotive operations including the technical headquarters of Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) and the SAIC-VW assembly plant are located.

These developments take Ricardo beyond the level of an overseas engineering provider, giving the company crucial critical mass as a local supplier of engineering services in the Chinese market, with the back-up of the global resources of Ricardo. As such we will be far better placed to achieve our objectives for locally based engineering recruitment and further development of our Chinese business.

—Lee Sykes, executive VP of Ricardo China

Ricardo is a leading independent technology provider and strategic consultant to transportation sector industries. The company’s engineering expertise ranges from vehicle systems integration, controls, electronics and software development, to driveline and transmission systems and gasoline, diesel, hybrid and fuel cell powertrain technologies.