One of the world鈥檚 leaders in virtual test-driving technology has opened its first 海角视频 office in Solihull.
IPG Automotive 海角视频, which has its headquarters in Germany, is now up and running at the Blythe Valley Innovation Centre.
Blythe Valley is managed by the University of Warwick Science Park on behalf of Solihull Council.
The global company, which has subsidiaries in Japan, China, Korea, USA, Sweden and France as well as four offices in Germany, develops and provides specialist software.
The software means automotive companies can enjoy massive time and cost savings by testing the technology of the next generation of vehicles in the virtual world.
Six members of staff have been recruited in Solihull to be based near its major clients which include Jaguar Land Rover and Ford, and collaborations with Warwick Manufacturing Group and the National Automotive Innovation Centre at the University of Warwick.
Elliot Hemes, managing director of IPG Automotive 海角视频, said the 海角视频 subsidiary, which also provides technical support and includes a sales team, was already proving a big success.
Cutting edge simulation technology
He said: 鈥淭raditionally, automotive engineering has developed a car around very expensive physical prototypes.
鈥淲e provide the software and expertise to do this more efficiently and robustly by using simulation technology.
鈥淲e decided to open a 海角视频 office to provide a better service and faster response for the technical support for our 海角视频 customers with locally based engineers.鈥
Mr Hemes added: 鈥淪ince we have opened the 海角视频 office, we have won new contracts and we have an environment to invite people in to chat to us and to showcase the products and services we offer.
鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing some interesting leads because we are local and we can go and see our customers so much more easily and are getting more business that way.鈥
Mr Hemes said the Blythe Valley Innovation Centre was ideal for the business鈥檚 needs.
鈥淲e wanted to provide an exemplary level of service and since our main 海角视频 customers were based in the Midlands, it made sense to have an office nearby,鈥 he said.
鈥淭he reason I picked Blythe Valley Innovation Centre is that I wanted to make the space our own and we have the opportunity to do that with our office.
鈥淥ur aim is to increase our staff numbers to ten by spring next year so we also needed to have the flexible space to be able to accommodate that.鈥
Andy Stewart, centre manager at the Blythe Valley Innovation Centre, said IPG Automotive are experts in the field of virtual vehicle development.
鈥淭he work of Elliot and his team is fascinating and is vital in developing and testing new automotive vehicles of the future,鈥 he said.
鈥淭heir innovative approach is reaping rewards with customers in the 海角视频 and our location in Solihull is ideal for meeting their clients who are currently predominantly based in the West Midlands.鈥
Mr Stewart added: 鈥淭he quality of our offices is often an important factor when we are showing potential businesses around the Innovation Centre and IPG Automotive is also looking to collaborate with other businesses on the site.
鈥淭he fact that there are a whole host of business support services available to companies based at the Science Park is a very valuable add-on for firms who choose to base themselves here.鈥
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