Tait and Bluewater Systems Agree to Partner in R&D

25 March, 2011

Global communications solutions provider Tait Radio Communications and premier electronics design house Bluewater Systems have signed a partnership agreement to enable shared access to each others specialist skills and resources. The aim of the agreement is to increase competitive advantage with accelerated speed to market and quality development that focuses on customers’ needs.

“This partnership with Bluewater Systems is a two-way street,” says Steve Kingston Tait Group Development Manager. “It’s about working with partners to give both parties more flexibility, especially at peaks in the research and development (R&D) cycle. For example, Bluewater can supply Tait with additional capacity in circuit board design and Tait can provide Bluewater with expertise in areas such as radio frequency (RF) design and compliance testing and certification.”

Shayne Crimp Director of Bluewater Systems agrees, “To deliver the diverse and exacting solutions we develop for our customers we occasionally need access to specialist resources that we don’t have in-house. This is where the partnership with Tait is extremely beneficial.”

“For example, we are developing a new video encoding and decoding platform that can be used in high definition video cameras. It is a large and high value project that demands robust design and thorough testing to ensure the product will withstand the most rugged conditions. Through our partnership with Tait we now have local access to their advanced mechanical and testing laboratories and skilled staff. This will provide considerable savings in time and convenience, which in turn will enable cost efficiencies and faster product delivery for our customers.”

Shayne adds, “We’re also using Tait’s laboratory to help us test the upgrade that we’re working on of Extronic’s top selling iCAM501 digital stills camera that we helped to develop for the company last year. The camera is being used in hazardous areas worldwide such as chemical and pharmaceutical plants, oil and gas production platforms, emergency services and more,” he says.

Extronics is a UK company that specialises in producing intrinsically safe and explosion-proof equipment for its customers around the world. The upgrade project is part of a long term development of the iCAM range of hazardous area visualisation tools.

“The Canterbury region of New Zealand has a thriving ‘eco-system’ of electronics and technology companies. This is a great advantage to Tait because, as we focus our efforts on understanding what total solutions our customers need, we can partner with other specialist companies to deliver the complete solution,” says Steve.

The Tait and Bluewater Systems partnership follows a separate agreement in July between Tait and i-design services, a product consultancy company which specialises in electromechanical, industrial and mechanical engineering design. “That agreement was also about enabling our Development teams to focus on core activities and complementing our in-house design skills,” adds Steve.

“We’re very pleased that Tait has agreed to partner with Bluewater Systems,” says Jeanne Crimp, Business Development Manager of Bluewater Systems. “Tait is an outstanding global exporter with an established and deserved reputation for excellence and we feel privileged to be working alongside them. This partnership demonstrates significant faith in our competence and capability and we anticipate a number benefits will result through collaborating on R&D.”

About Tait Radio Communications
Tait Radio Communications is a global leader in designing and delivering radio solutions for a variety of industries including; public safety agencies, government services, utilities and urban transport providers. Across the world, users of Tait products and services are better able to protect themselves and the public, be more responsive and more efficient.

While several corporate functions are based in Christchurch, New Zealand, the company prides itself on its international customer base and global support network. The company works with a network of sales/ support offices, system integrators and consultants that spans the globe.

About Bluewater Systems
Bluewater Systems is New Zealand’s premier design house for the development of innovative and reliable electronic products, specialising in embedded systems and ARM technology with a strong history in power electronics.

The company was founded in Christchurch New Zealand in 1996, and today offers a range of consultancy services from digital and analogue circuit design to reliability engineering, product development and project management. Embedded systems development on ARM and alternate microprocessor platforms, DSPs and more, has been applied to projects requiring audio/visual systems, digital cameras, data storage, GPS devices, imaging/security, PDAs, and advertising display systems.

In September 2010 Bluewater Systems became part of the Aiotec Group, which both enlarged and expanded their technical capabilities. Today, Bluewater’s highly skilled team of 22 staff and contractors provides expert technical services to clients in Australasia, United Kingdom, Europe and the United States.

ENDS

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