September 06, 2008

TATA Group may set up R&D hub in UK - Report

AS per a report in ET, TATA group is likely to finalize plans for a world class global research & development centre in the UK shortly. The global R&D hub will encompass R&D activities of TATA Motors, TCS, INCAT, Corus, and TATA Chemicals and now Jaguar Land Rover among others.

The report said that “At present, TATA Motors European Technical Centre, which was involved in designing the Nano, is based in Warwick University, but the plan is to move the operation to a base that can accommodate all group companies, with world class facilities to service various sectors. The European Technical Centre is focused on automotive design and research, but it is expected that group companies like Corus, TCS and others will bring their own R&D divisions together under one roof. Details of the total investment and exact location are expected to be finalized in a few months.”

It added that “The idea is that the global R&D centre will leverage synergies across group companies, and emerge as a major global research powerhouse. The TATA had zeroed in on Anstey in West Midlands as a likely location, but are rethinking the location after its recent acquisition of Jaguar Land Rover, which is also located in the area. JLR also has its own automotive design and engineering research centre in UK, which is credited with doing much of the work on the recently launched Jaguar XF.”