Member Article

Ben Ainslie Racing to create 90 jobs at new Portsmouth HQ

Sailing team Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) has started work on a new headquarters in Portsmouth, bringing 90 initial jobs to the area with the promise of an apprenticeship training scheme next year.

BAR was conceived by four times Olympic gold medalist and 34th America’s Cup winner, Sir Ben Ainslie, with the long-term aim of challenging for Britain and bringing the America’s Cup back home to where it all began in 1851.

Bdaily spoke to Jo Grindley, head of commercial, marketing, communications and events for BAR about recent developments within the sailing industry, as well as the team’s plans for 2015, she said: “The sailing industry in general and the America’s Cup in particular has become much more technical. In the case of the Cup we have seen a transition to boats that fly on foils above the water, at speeds three or four times faster than conventional yachts.

“This has brought a whole new range of problems to solve. BAR has adapted by looking outside the conventional marine suppliers to find technology that can also be adapted; the automotive and aviation industries are particularly fertile sources of design and engineering innovations.”

Jo noted that BAR will be working with local educational insitutions to launch the training scheme, she said: “We are currently putting the final plans in place with the apprenticeship and training scheme suppliers to launch them at the start of the new academic year in 2015. We will announce the full details when everything is in place.

“We already have individuals on work placements, and we will begin co-production of one of our support boats with Southampton City College early in the New Year.”

BAR is supporting the Business is GREAT campaign, Jo said: “We are delighted to be a part of this campaign, we are a strongly British team relying heavily on the technical, design, engineering and innovation excellence of this country.

“We’re very proud of the business we have built and grown, and so to celebrate our successes by being part of the Business is GREAT advent calendar is fantastic.

“We joined 23 other businesses across the country to highlight the organisations and people doing great things for small businesses, and to explain how government support has made some of it possible.”

Ben Ainslie Racing featured in the Business is GREAT advent calendar as government funding helped it to develop its Cup team and plans for a new base. Visit www.greatbusiness.gov.uk/adventcalendar to find out more about how government support could help your business.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .