My childrens book is moving along. Hethel Engineering Centre to be Caterham Tech base.

The graphics for my Childrens book are nearing completion. I was going to donate the book to a local Hospice. It depends on whether they are prepared to open an Amazon/Kindle account for me to deposit the book in. They would then automatically receive the royalties.
If not, I have another charity in mind.
Check my webpage under CSR. When it is completed I will put the details in there.
This is probably going to be the cover illustration.
The Title:                        
 Innocence lost in the ice cream forest.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/business/new_team_lotus_firm_to_create_sports_car_line_1_1086044

Caterham are opening a Technical area in the Hethel Engineering Centre!

I wonder where they think they will get their engineering staff from!

Here is a portion of the article:
“The new shareholders are committed to investing in an exciting range of global products over the next 10 years,” he added.
The new firm will also work for external automotive and aerospace companies.

The company’s new sports cars will be inspired by what it describes at the “lightweight, minimalist philosophy” of Caterham’s famous cult sports car the Seven. It will draw on the technology and materials of the group’s Team Lotus Formula One and Caterham Team AirAsia GP2 motorsport operations.

Mr Shute. who will be head of road cars, said creating the next iconic Caterham was an opportunity he couldn’t turn down.

“The core principles and ambitions of CTI have enabled us to attract some of the brightest and most respected talents in their fields.”
Caterham Cars’ chief executive, Ansar Ali, said: “To meet the challenge, we knew we needed to invest in a new operation that would have the scope, experience and vision to deliver.”


On my plan, I have put the Hethel Engineering Centre down as a possible campus for the proposed University.

This can still happen. If Caterham and Group Lotus can work together I think that is great!

From a hardware perspective, Caterham products would be great trainers for students, who will I'm sure aspire to own them, and later in life maybe move onto an expensive Lotus.

Tony Fernandes Airlines fly to California, Malaysia, and the UK (not Norfolk presently...). So there is a lot of positive synergy there.

Great stuff!

I'm meeting Angel Investor tonight. Lotus plan to use Hethel Engineering Centre as Research Centre

I'm off to St Albans (outside London,UK) today. They are having a talk by Angel investors. The founder of Angelsden.co.uk. has asked me to meet him afterwards.
I'm not sure I'm ready for funding yet. I look forward to chatting to him and another Angel Mandy who have asked to meet me outside of the actual talk.
I see that Group Lotus are hopeful of getting more government (UK) money.
EDP24 have written the following.

The Hethel Engineering Centre would also be at the heart of the vision, becoming the firm’s centre of applied research.


This fits in with my plan.

I have a contact in a business school. Apparently there are lecturers who want to put their names to my proposal. Have to see how that pans out.

Apparently, Johor Circuit is not for sale. I can work around that. Singapore might be better equipped for what I want to do. The Campus could be in the edu hub in Johor with working arrangements with the local circuits.

One step at a time...

Proton name probable divisions. Fiat 500 fails test...

In todays EDGE publication, space is given to the Lotus business plan. The funding is coming largely from bank loans.

In terms of financing for the Lotus project, Syed Zainal said the over-£300 million capital expenditure would be 80% funded by borrowings from local and international banks.


I must say I hope it works. One of the main reasons Lotus was bought was technology transfer.
This was not mentioned. I assume Tony Fernandes will do this under the TEAM LOTUS banner.
Group Lotus had the chance to set up in SepangF1.
Tony Fernandes will be successful, I wish him well.

Motorsport University Malaysia

View more presentations from johnsean.

According to the EDGE the new divisions will be:
Group restructuring and consolidation


The Lotus project is part of Proton’s group restructuring plan to create four core operating units that are each a profit centre, to be modelled after the Petronas group organisational structure.

The four core units are Lotus sports car division, Proton-Lotus engineering division, Proton manufacturing division and Proton distribution division. It is learnt that a restructuring plan is due for implementation next year.

This is based on the Petronas structure.
Petronas were asked to set up a University. That is now in existence. It has formed a partnership with TEAM LOTUS in Sepang, as has UTM.

Lotus gave the land to Hethel engineering centre, which is based on its site. This actively works with Lotus to educate people in the local area.
Group Lotus (and by default Proton) have never tried to replicate this Educational facility/technical assembly area/ track model in Malaysia.

Whilst it ticks all the boxes in the UK it is considered a no go in Malaysia. ODD.

Perhaps someone within Lotus / Proton should look at both the Lotus UK site and the Petronas educational initiative.

Check out my wesite for some ideas... http://motorsportuniversitymalaysia.com/
As an aside Fiat have lost there deal for supplying learner cars to BSM (British school of Motoring).
Here is a quote from the Mirror.

DRIVING school giant BSM has been forced into a U-turn after instructors gave its new Fiat 500 a thumbs down.
Instructors preferred the Corsa’s larger size, five doors and steel wheels, which cannot be scuffed like alloys.
The deal is a boost for Vauxhall, with studies showing 70% of drivers buy the make of car they learned in.

Proton are trying to become the Learners choice. They will give instructors special deals.
Shame they can't bring this same philosophy to education in general.

Group Lotus Dany Bahar v Tony Fernandes Air Asia?

On the 14 September I made an entry entitled:
 Team Lotus. Tony Fernandes has bought back the name.

I have just read an interesting article on Speedtv.com entitled:
F1: Dispute Over Lotus Name?
A battle over the rights to the Lotus name seems to be emerging...
 
It appears that Group Lotus are also trying to use the TEAM LOTUS name. This is a portion of the article:
 
Intriguingly, UK government documents from the Intellectual Property Office show that Group Lotus applied on July 15 to use the name Team Lotus in connection with a raft of activities, some of them way beyond motor sport, but mostly connected with the sort of souvenirs and memorabilia that you might associate with an F1 team.
 
From my perspective as a person set on promoting a training facility which delivers learning from a base that has a core activity of Motorsports, this is an interesting development.
 
Sadly, I only see them approaching this from a merchandising view. A GP2 or GP3 team based at a circuit with a real world team operating in the real world sharing their experience with a college would be great.
Sport Science, Law, Business plans, Journalism, Design, Logistics... Motorsport covers them all plus much more. People tend to focus on driver training. This is only a small portion of the whole.
 
I hope Dany Bahar takes a little time to consider my proposal. Tengku Djan as head of Proton Motorsport might want to make him aware of potential campuses outside of SepangF1 within Malaysia.
 
Believe me, align this institute with Group Lotus under the Team Lotus Banner and you will have zero problem bringing some of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world onboard.
 
We can obviously produce college t-shirts, mugs, even computers with the company logo on if this is deemed to be an ethical and profitable endeavour.

The following Slideshare presentation is an old one initially set around SepangF1. This is obviously where Tony Fernandes has set up both is Airline and Motorsport operations. Group Lotus might want to consider Johor FIA approved circuit.
In the UK Lotus has both a circuit and a college (Hethel Engineering Centre) close by...

Motorsport University Malaysia

View more presentations from johnsean.

Duke of York visits Hethel Engineering centre and Lotus F1

I have arrived in KL. Already my buddy and sometimes co conspirator Herry has told me to get some figures together in order to promote my project.

Talking of which... Arsenal football club are selling a business case book through their educational partner the London Metropolitan business school. Financially, Arsenal are always held up as being fiscally responsible.
Arsenal educational material

Maybe Tony Fernandes will let students share his business plan for West Ham, and make comparisons with LotusF1 and AirAsia... I diversify!

Herry and Tilo have an ongoing  project, I participate in from time to time. They have assisted me in my graphic presentations plus my password protected webpage video.

Whilst I have been adding to Air Asia's bottom line the Duke of York visited the Hethel Engineering centre. Group Lotus donated the land for this from their own campus and are partners in the project.
Whilst in the area the Duke also popped in to see the Lotus F1 team in Hingham.
The Duke of York with Tony Fernandes

I borrowed the pic from the EDP24
Maybe the Duke could suggest a working relationship between LotusF1 and the Hethel Engineering Centre.
Group lotus already partner the hethel Engineering Centre...
This is a quote from EDP24 article on the centre proposed expansion:

Construction work is under way on a £2.4m extension to the engineering centre at Hethel to make space for 11 new start-up businesses.


The centre has helped establish a series of new companies - particularly in advanced and low carbon manufacturing - since it first opened in 2006.

The article goes on to say...

Ann Steward, portfolio holder for economic development at Norfolk County Council - which helped fund the creation of Hethel in 2006 with Eeda and South Norfolk Council - added: "Since we opened it four years ago, Hethel has really made a name for itself as one of the best centres in the country for supporting innovation in engineering and manufacturing.

Well I'm happy that Tony Fernandes has had the Duke of York and Dr Mahathir visiting in the last couple of days.
Maybe Dr Mahathir popped into the Hethel Engineering Centre too...
Banner of Hethel Engineering Centre partners

I think that Proton/Lotus donating land too, and partnering an educational centre in Norfolk is laudable.
Obviously, the Duke of York thinks so too!
I can see why Proton and Lotus got involved in this. I suppose signing the land over didn't cost anything. The local government were supportive.

Proton don't own the circuit in Johor. The Iskandar region, whilst encouraging investment in the region are probably waiting for investors to approach them.

It would be interesting to know what kind of a deal Lotus/Proton and their major shareholder Petronas could get on the Johor circuit?

The Motorsport University Malaysia banner could then read:

Proton: Group Lotus: Petronas: Iskandar Development Region: Cranfield University: UTM : LotusF1: Mercedes-GP Petronas Formula one team : AirAsia : itunes student hostels : Backpacking Asia (Foreign students will want to explore) : Maxis : BBC Open University: Bernama TV :

Just a thought