British technology company
McLaren Applied
is a British technology and products company. Capabilities include design, development, manufacture and test of electronic, mechanical, electrical and software products. The company is focused on four industries: motorsport, automotive, transport and mining. McLaren Applied was formerly a part of
McLaren Group
and since 2021 a fully independent company, which owned by the private investment firm
Greybull Capital
.
History
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The present company was formed when two
McLaren Technology Group
companies merged - 'McLaren Composites and TAG Electronics. The companies merged due to the sale of
Audiolab
to
International Audio Group
. TAG Electronics Holdings was the parent company of TAGMcLaren Audio (Now Audiolab) and also TAG Electronics Systems. When Audiolab was sold, the holding company TAG Electronics Holdings was scrapped and the remaining technology company merged with McLaren Composites, which both together then formed McLaren Applied Technologies.
In September 2014, Ian Rhodes replaced the founder,
Ron Dennis
, as CEO of the company. McLaren Applied was initially known as "McLaren Composites", its main work being the manufacture of parts for the
McLaren F1
and
Mercedes SLR
. However, it also won contracts to manufacture parts for other companies and moved into the energy industry, mainly
solar panels
. It was dissolved in 2003 and replaced with "McLaren Applied Technologies" a short while after in 2004.
The company name was changed again on 2 January 2020 to McLaren Applied Limited.
[1]
In 2021 McLaren Group, suffering financial distress as a result of the Covid19 pandemic, sold the company to
Greybull Capital
.
[2]
McLaren Applied has seen substantial new investment in its facilities, products and staff under Greybull's ownership.
[3]
Current business - Motorsport
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In Motorsport McLaren Applied is perhaps best known for manufacturing the
Standard Electronic Control Unit (SECU)
for all
F1
teams.
[4]
McLaren Applied have supplied this
electronic control unit
since 2008,
[5]
and most recently secured a further extension of this contract to be F1's ECU provider from 2026 - 2030.
[6]
McLaren Applied also supply software, sensors and other components to multiple Formula One teams.
In addition to Formula One, McLaren Applied also provides the engine control units used in the
NASCAR Sprint Cup
and
IndyCar Series
. The two ECU's share a common base,
[7]
and McLaren Applied have held the contract for IndyCar series since 2007 later 2010 as a standard ECU supplier (previously
IndyCar
's ECU supplier was
Motorola
) and NASCAR Cup Series since 2012, who were also switching to
fuel injection
from
carburation
, had left an open choice. McLaren Applied produced the electric motor, transmission and electronics used in the
Spark-Renault SRT 01E
, the car used in the inaugural
Formula E
season.
[8]
Current business - Automotive
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McLaren Applied is a longstanding supplier of automotive grade components. It has specialised in vehicle electrification, particularly inverters. The current fifth generation product, known as
IPG5
, is based on an 800v Silicon Carbide architecture offering significantly improved efficiency, performance and control fidelity. The product has gained global recognition and secured orders with several car-makers.
[9]
Current business - Connected Intelligence
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This McLaren Applied business delivers the most stable connectivity for dynamic environments, including public transport and mining, and industries far beyond, through the first-ever 5G edge computing antenna in addition to F1-derived software. It recently launched the
Halo300
antenna range.
[10]
Current business - Lavoie
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In August 2023, Lavoie, McLaren Applied's electric scooter unit, purchased Dutch
e-bike
manufacturer
VanMoof
.
[11]
Past business activities
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McLaren Applied has a history of undertaking pioneering technical projects, often quite different to today's more focussed business. Here are some examples.
In 2010, McLaren Applied developed systems that supported Team GB's
2012 London Olympics
medal bids in rowing, sailing and cycling.
[12]
McLaren Applied worked with
Specialized Bicycle Components
to produce the Specialized S-Works+McLaren Venge racing bike, as ridden by
Mark Cavendish
.
[13]
[
third-party source needed
]
GlaxoSmithKline
(GSK) worked with McLaren Applied on developing drugs, vaccines and medication. McLaren Applied also helped develop some household brands of GSK including
Aquafresh
,
Horlicks
,
Sensodyne
,
NiQuitin
and more. McLaren Applied enabled GSK's toothpaste production line at
Maidenhead
to cut the time it takes to change over one toothpaste brand or flavour to another from 39 minutes to 15 minutes, resulting in the factory becoming more productive to the tune of 6.7 million tubes of toothpaste a year.
[14]
McLaren Applied handled electronics and data for the
Ekofisk
drilling plant in the North Sea. The McLaren Applied ENERGY website stated: "McLaren Applied has taken its knowledge of analysing large data sets and applied it to drilling. Using real time data direct from the drilling head, the computer models developed by McLaren Applied constantly updates and provides insight that helps guide operational decision making on a day-to-day basis."
McLaren Applied also worked with Wind Turbines companies and data centre companies. McLaren Applied also worked with IO on the design of their data centres and cooling systems for IO.
Awards and citations
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The company has won multiple
Queen's Awards for Enterprise
for innovation and international trade.
[15]
McLaren Applied won the Motorsport Industry Association's prestigious 2022 Business Excellence award for Technology & Innovation.
[16]
The company won multiple e-mobility awards recognising its contribution to vehicle electrification
[17]
References
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