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Bournemouth University 's Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with M L E Electronics (MLE) has resulted in the Salisbury-based company receiving double honours in the Wiltshire Business Awards 2005.
MLE, a developer of specialist electronics systems, were winners of the Dyson Award for Engineering and the Virgin Mobile Award for Best Business Culture at a recent gala dinner in Swindon.
Bournemouth University has been working in partnership with MLE for the past 18 months on a project to develop the company's marketing function. Academics from the university's world-renowned Bournemouth Media School have been advising the firm and overseeing the project's success. This latest achievement reflects both the efforts of the university and MLE to develop and promote a successful and reputable hi-technology engineering company.
Managing Director of MLE, Mike Lloyd, who collected the Dyson Award for Engineering says:
?This award recognises the high level of skills we have within the team and the effort we have put into developing a consistent and effective design process for our clients.?
The judging panel for the Dyson Award for Engineering was impressed by MLE's focus upon testing and prototyping within their 5-stage design process. It was their commitment to this and the company's culture that swayed the judging panel for the Engineering award. Peter Richardson, chief operating office, Dyson comments,
"MLE has a special recipe for success; a willingness, indeed a hunger for experimentation, combined with proven engineering expertise. The team is motivated by making better technology and having some fun in the process."
During the KTP project, the academics involved have learnt how key MLE's extraordinary culture is to its success to date. In keeping with the MLE way of life, when MLE were announced as winners of the Best Business Culture category, Mike Lloyd insisted the team receive the award. He goes on to say:
?This awards means a great deal to MLE as our culture is central to our success. We have worked hard to create a wonderful environment where people can develop in themselves and their career and where our clients will enjoy themselves. We work on the philosophy that if our people are happy, our clients will be too.?
The Award judges praised MLE's culture for its open and supportive nature. Virgin Mobile's Anita Collier, judge for the Best Business Culture award remarks,
?MLE is a place where employees take enormous pride in their work, but where the management take even more pride in them and give them the support and the freedom to fly high.?
The project being undertaken by Bournemouth University at MLE aims to develop systematic marketing at the company. The project's deliverables include the development and implementation of a strategic marketing plan, the development of an established reputation within the electronics industry and MLE's market sectors, a new corporate identity, a new website and an increased turnover of £250K. The project concludes in November 2006.
ML Electronics is an innovative company specialising in electronic product development and manufacture for the medical, industrial, HVAC, audio and general commercial industries. They have a wide range of design experience including embedded systems, DSP, power technology, motor drives, instrumentation, industrial control, communications and software.
For more information about the KTP scheme at ML Electronics contact:
Alison Fraser
Tel: 0870 835 8416
Email: alison@ml-electronics.co.uk
Web: www.ml-electronics.co.uk
For more information about Bournemouth University's role in the KTP scheme contact:
Richard Scullion
Email: rscullion@bournemouth.ac.uk Bournemouth Media School
Tel: 01202 965350.
CONTACTS
Bournemouth University Press office:
Charles Elder; Tel: +44 (0) 1202 961032; Mob: (07768) 771870
Zoë Monk ; Tel: +44 (0) 1202 961033; Mob: (07738) 143100
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