McLaren Applied Limited is a British technology company that works in conjunction with companies such as
GSK,
NHS
The National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation. There are three systems which are referred to using the " ...
and more. Its electronic division, McLaren Electronics, manufactures parts such as engine temperature and pressure sensors for
F1 teams.
In September 2014, Ian Rhodes replaced the founder,
Ron Dennis
Ronald Dennis CBE (born 1 June 1947) is a British businessman and Official British Business Ambassador for the United Kingdom. He is best known for his former role as owner, CEO, chairman and founder of McLaren Group. Dennis was removed from ...
, 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
The McLaren F1 is a sports car designed and manufactured by British automobile manufacturer McLaren Cars, and powered by the BMW S70/2 V12 engine. The original concept was conceived by Gordon Murray. Murray was able to convince Ron Dennis to ...
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. Under its old name as McLaren Composites, the company also produced landing equipment and solar panels for ''
Beagle 2
The ''Beagle 2'' is an inoperative British Mars lander that was transported by the European Space Agency's 2003 ''Mars Express'' mission. It was intended to conduct an astrobiology mission that would have looked for evidence of past life on Mar ...
''. In 2021 McLaren Group sold the company to
Greybull Capital
Greybull Capital LLP is a private investment company that specialises in medium- to long-term investments in UK-based companies. It was incorporated as a limited liability partnership in April 2010. In the aftermath of the financial crisis of 200 ...
.
History
The company was formed when two
McLaren Technology Group
The McLaren Group is a British holding company based in Woking, England, which is involved in Formula One and other motorsport and the manufacture of luxury cars.
The group was founded by Ron Dennis shortly after his acquisition of the McLaren ...
companies merged - McLaren Composites and TAG Electronics. The companies merged due to the sale of
Audiolab
Audiolab is a British manufacturer of audio equipment. It specializes in affordable systems and has a range of stereo and surround sound systems. During its ownership under McLaren Group it was named TAGMcLaren Audio.
History
Audiolab was foun ...
to
International Audio Group
The International Audio Group (IAG) is a Chinese manufacturer of consumer and professional audio & HiFi components. It is based in Shenzhen in China. It is owned and run by twin brothers Bernard and Michael Chang.
Products
In the past the IAG ...
. 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.
The company name was changed again on 2 January 2020 to McLaren Applied Limited.
Business model
McLaren Applied works in three performance areas: systems, equipment, and modelling and simulation.
Clients include teams and companies in sports, health and wellness, defence, motorsports and automotive sectors.
In 2010, McLaren Applied developed systems that supported Team GB's
2012 London Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
medal bids in rowing, sailing and cycling.
McLaren Applied worked with
Specialized Bicycle Components
Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc., colloquially known as and stylized as SPECIALIZED, is an American company which designs, manufactures and markets bicycles, bicycle components and related products under the brand name "Specialized", as well ...
to produce the Specialized S-Works+McLaren Venge racing bike, as ridden by
Mark Cavendish
Mark Simon Cavendish (born 21 May 1985) is a Manx professional road racing cyclist who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam . As a track cyclist he specialises in the madison, points race, and scratch race disciplines; as a road racer he is a ...
.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) worked with McLaren Applied on developing drugs, vaccines and medication. McLaren Applied also helps develop some household brands of GSK including
Aquafresh,
Horlicks
Horlicks is a sweet malted milk hot drink powder developed by founders James and William Horlick. It was first sold as "Horlick's Infant and Invalids Food", soon adding "aged and travellers" to their label. In the early 20th century, it was s ...
,
Sensodyne
Sensodyne is a brand name of toothpaste and mouthwash targeted at people with sensitive teeth. Sensodyne is owned by Haleon and is marketed under the name Shumitect in Japan.
Effectiveness
Sensodyne toothpastes work in different ways dependin ...
,
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.
Energy
McLaren Applied handles electronics and data for the
Ekofisk
Ekofisk is an oil field in block 2/4 of the Norwegian sector of the North Sea about southwest of Stavanger. Discovered in 1969 by Phillips Petroleum Company, it remains one of the most important oil fields in the North Sea. This was the fir ...
drilling plant in the North Sea. The McLaren Applied ENERGY website states: "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 works with Wind Turbines companies and data centre companies. More well known, McLaren Applied works with IO on the design of their data centres and cooling systems for IO.
Electronics
McLaren Electronic Systems is a brand of electronic systems for racing cars created and manufactured by McLaren Applied.
The company has won multiple
Queen's Awards for Enterprise
The Queen's Awards for Enterprise is an awards programme for British businesses and other organizations who excel at international trade, innovation, sustainable development or promoting opportunity (through social mobility). They are the highest ...
for innovation and international trade. McLaren Applied have supplied the single
electronic control unit
An electronic control unit (ECU), also known as an electronic control module (ECM), is an embedded system in automotive electronics that controls one or more of the electrical systems or subsystems in a car or other motor vehicle.
Modern vehic ...
used in all
Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
cars since 2008, and also supply software, sensors and other components to Formula One teams. MES also supply the powertrain control system used in McLaren's Formula One race cars.
In addition to Formula One, McLaren Applied also provides the engine control units used in the
NASCAR Sprint Cup
The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division. In 1971, ...
and
IndyCar Series
The IndyCar Series, currently known as the NTT IndyCar Series under sponsorship, is the highest class of regional North American open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars in the United States, which has been conducted under the auspices o ...
. The two ECU's share a common base, 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
Motorola, Inc. () was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, United States. After having lost $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009, the company split into two independent public companies, Motorol ...
) 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 Spark-Renault SRT_01E, also known as the SRT01-e (since the 2015–16 season) or the Spark Gen1 (after the introduction of the successive Gen2 chassis), was an electric formula race car designed for the inaugural season of Formula E, in 20 ...
, the car used in the inaugural
Formula E season.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mclaren Applied
McLaren Group
Engineering companies of England
Technology companies of England
2004 establishments in England
Electronics companies established in 2004
Companies based in Surrey
Woking