Virtually Smart Ltd explores some of the pillars of British industry & how VA professionals support some of these giants of engineering & innovation.
St Georges day on the 23rd April celebrates the patron saint of England, however, in recent years the 23rd April has become more associated with Shakespeare’s birth date, rather than a celebration of England’s patron saint. St George’s battles against the ‘dragon’ (however you perceive the metaphor) extols the virtue of British values & our innate determination in the face of adversity. The St George’s legend lends itself to the way that British industry has changed & moulded itself. One area of industry which has seen many changes & developments since the industrial revolution of the 18-1900’s, is that of automotive engineering & design.
The automotive industry has seen it’s fair share of changes since it’s inception in the Industrial revolution. Some companies have not only survived the changing face of industry, but have reinvented themselves to remain current & valid in an ever changing economy. One area which has seen vast changes over the past 150 years is in automotive engineering & design. Mercedes Benz for example has stood the test of time from 1888 when Bertha Benz, business partner and wife of Karl Benz, became the first person to drive an automobile over a long distance. From these humble beginnings, Mercedes Benz has managed to become a global leader in automotive engineering & design with an annual turnover of 96 billion euros.
There are others in the automotive industry who have had a more fractured history. Bugatti for example which started manufacturing in 1910 has had it’s fair share of turmoil financially. From the 1930’s through to the 1990’s, Bugatti ceased operations twice due to financial uncertainty. Finally in 1998 Volkswagen AG acquired the Bugatti brand & the new company introduced numerous concepts including the Chiron & Veyron.
However, what about engineering innovations in the British automotive industry? How has this industry help to forge the face of our economy?
Names like Land Rover, Rolls Royce, Triumph & Jaguar are synonymous with the name of great British engineering & design. From their very humble beginnings, these companies have battled against international competition & have had to find new & innovative ways to keep their customer bases happy & be at the cutting edge of automotive engineering & design.
Rolls Royce for example first started building cars in the UK in 1904. Henry Royce who came from an electrical & mechanical background, joined forces with Charles Rolls & they started to sell a range of cars know as the ‘Rolls Royce’. Rolls Royce have not only stood the test of time, but now have a global audience with reported profits of £1,941m before tax (2017).
Another British company forging the way in automotive engineering & design is Scorpion Automotive. Scorpion Automotive are the market leaders in the UK for automotive security solutions & their customer base includes Aston Martin, Subaru, Toyota, Isuzu, BMW Motorrad, DAF Trucks, Leyland Trucks, Iveco, Norton and Triumph Motorcycles.
Founded in 1973, Scorpion Automotive has remained at the forefront of vehicle electronics & security technology. Exporting to 16 countries, spanning 6 continents, Scorpion Automotive is at the cutting edge of British engineering & design for electronics & security. DATATOOL, part of the Scorpion Automotive family who specialise in motorcycle security solutions; have also been leading the way in motorcycle security innovations for the past 25 years.
In recognition of the work Scorpion Automotive have been doing for the past 45 years, they have recently been named as one of select group of companies chosen by the Department for International Trade to act as an Export Champion for the Northern Powerhouse.
The Northern Powerhouse forms part of the government’s industrial strategy whose aim it is to build upon the strong British economy & help businesses in the UK take advantage of opportunities presented by the UK’s decision to leave the EU.
‘The appointment is in recognition of Scorpion’s ongoing support in encouraging other companies to grow their international business through exporting and its contribution to the economic growth of the region through exporting. In fact, its global marketing strategy and delivery status of that strategy earned it the Northern Automotive Alliance (NAA) International Trade Award 2017 and BIBA Exporter of the Year Award 2017.’ https://www.scorpionauto.com/scorpion-automotive-named-northern-powerhouse-export-champion/
Mark Downing the Managing Director of Scorpion Automotive, is responsible for directing Scorpion’s overall strategy towards sustainable & profitable growth.
“I’m enthusiastic about the opportunity to share the knowledge and expertise we’ve gained through exporting. Exporting may lead to a fundamental change to the way you trade so there are many risks as well as many benefits to consider.
Scorpion Automotive is fast becoming a global force in the design and manufacture of vehicle security, tracking and telematics systems. With a strong emphasis on R&D backed up by our recent investments in our new state of the art manufacturing facility, we’re aligned to benefit from the fast moving market changes brought about by Brexit and the movement in exchange rates.”
Scorpion Automotive is only one example of the thousands of British companies forging the way for the British economy & standing proud as stalwart pioneers in engineering & design in the UK.
Ricardo PLC is another stalwart of British innovation & design. Their portfolio which includes transport, energy & scarce resources sectors, attracts a global audience. As pioneers in engineering & technology with a global reputation for capabilities ranging from design through to manufacture, Ricardo have remained at the cutting edge of innovative design for over 100 years. In everything Ricardo do, they still remain committed to the ethos of their founder, Sir Harry Ricardo, one of the most innovative engineers of his time, who in 1915 set out on a mission to ‘maximise efficiency and eliminate waste’.
Helena Parrott, Director of Virtually Smart Ltd, has been undertaking a series of assignments for Ricardo PLC in her capacity as a Virtual Assistant. From essential business administration projects, to supporting the HR department; Helena Parrott has very much been part of the Ricardo machine, not only in the capacity as a former employee, but above & beyond as the Director of her own company. Being able to understand the systems in place within the Ricardo business model, has allowed her to still be an integral part of the support team, whilst also allowing herself time to develop Virtually Smart Ltd as a company in its own right.
