Rolls-Royce strengthens global marine support network with new facility in
Newfoundland, Canada

USA - English

ST-JOHN'S , Sept. 23 /CNW Telbec/ - Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has enhanced its global customer support capability in Canada with a new Marine service center located in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland, one of the busiest ports in the Canadian Maritimes.

Encompassing 25,000 square feet, the new Rolls-Royce Commercial Marine service center in Mount Pearl will provide state-of-the art repair and overhaul expertise for customers throughout the East Atlantic Provinces and the Canadian Great Lakes region. Rolls-Royce has invested in this location to support its expanding customer base and growing demand in the region.

Newfoundland's Minister of Business, Ross Wiseman , joined Mount Pearl Mayor Randy Simms , Rolls-Royce Marine Regional Director Bill Malacrida and other Rolls-Royce representatives at the official ribbon cutting ceremony today to open the new facility. The site is expected to be operational by October 2009 .

"The Provincial Government welcomes the decision by Rolls-Royce to invest in Newfoundland and Labrador and establish its new marine service centre here," said Minister Wiseman. "The company will create new, skilled, well-paying jobs in the province, and our government is very pleased to play a role in assisting the facility as it becomes a strategic marine service hub."

During the ribbon cutting event, Mr. Malacrida said: "Our investment in Newfoundland is part of a broader strategy to increase value to our customers and better meet increasing demand in the offshore, merchant and naval markets in Canada and around the world."

Mount Pearl has a total population of 24,671 and is part of the St-John's metropolitan area with surrounding suburban communities of Torbay, Portugal Cove, and Conception Bay . Situated on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland, it is the 20th largest metropolitan area in Canada .

In 2009, Rolls-Royce opened new facilities in Galveston, Texas and Rio de Janeiro , Brazil for support to the oil and gas industry. In addition, the Group opened a new operation in Mumbai , India and has recently expanded facilities in Vancouver , BC, Veracruz, Mexico , Singapore , Rotterdam , Holland, and Ulsteinvik, Norway .

    
    Notes to Editors:

    1. Rolls-Royce, a world-leading provider of power systems and services
       for use on land, at sea and in the air, has established strong
       positions in its four global markets - civil aerospace, defense
       aerospace, marine and energy.

    2. Rolls-Royce is a world leader in marine solutions, providing products,
       service and expertise to more than 30,000 vessels in the offshore,
       merchant, naval surface and submarine markets. It designs ships and
       its product range includes propulsion systems featuring diesel engines
       and gas turbines, propellers, thrusters and water jets. Rolls-Royce
       also provides manoeuvring and stabilising systems and deck machinery.
       Around 30 per cent of marine turnover is derived from service support
       activity, with a global network of sales and service offices in
       34 countries. Rolls-Royce equipment is in service with more than 70
       navies.

    3. The Group has a broad customer base including more than 600 airlines,
       4,000 corporate and utility aircraft and helicopter operators,
       160 armed forces, more than 2,000 marine customers, including
       70 navies, and energy customers in nearly 120 countries. With
       facilities in 50 countries, Rolls-Royce employs 39,000 people
       worldwide and has businesses headquartered in the UK, US, Canada,
       Germany, Scandinavia and China. This global presence allows the Group
       to access long-term international growth opportunities with its
       technology, presence, partnerships and people.

    4. Rolls-Royce continues to invest in core technologies, products, people
       and capabilities with the objective of broadening and strengthening
       the product portfolio, improving efficiency and enhancing the
       environmental performance of its products.

       In 2008, Rolls-Royce and its partners invested (pnds stlg)885 million
       on research and development, two thirds of which had the objective of
       further improving the environmental aspects of its products, in
       particular the reduction of emissions.

    5. The Marine business of Rolls-Royce employs 8,000 people in
       34 countries with the main manufacturing centres being in the UK, the
       Nordic countries, the United States and increasingly Asia.

    6. Rolls-Royce Canada has a diversified aero and industrial engine
       facility located in Montreal. Customers of Rolls-Royce Canada include
       airlines, corporate operators and government bodies around the world.
       Repair and overhaul is the major sector of this business unit, with
       more than 5,000 aerospace engines serviced to date.

    7. Rolls-Royce Canada currently employs close to 1,400 men and women in a
       wide array of disciplines. The Montréal plant occupies more than
       500,000 square feet of space and is among the best equipped in the
       world. The facility is also equipped with five engine test cells, the
       largest of which has the capacity of testing gas turbine engines up to
       100,000 lb of thrust.

    8. The company's energy business unit, also based in Montreal, is the
       world wide research and development, manufacturing and support center
       for the industrial Trent and RB211 gas turbines, used for power
       generation and oil and gas applications in over 120 countries.
    

For further information: Julie Bourbonnière, Rolls-Royce Canada, [phone], [email protected]; Craig Taylor, Communications Business Partner, Rolls-Royce plc, 44 1332 248704, [email protected]; Web www.rolls-royce.com