From 23 March 2009, three prominent technology design, development and testing businesses, ERA Technology, Culham Lightning and Vector Fields will trade as Cobham Technical Services as part of a Group wide rebranding programme by FTSE 100 parent company Cobham plc.

Cobham has revenue of £1.5 billion and employs more than 12,500 people worldwide on five continents, with customers in over 100 countries. In the past individually branded business units have provided products and services to primarily aerospace and defence customers, many of whom have been unaware of the breadth of capabilities available to them from across Cobham. The unification of all businesses under a single unified brand is designed to make it easier for customers to understand the Group and highlight the career opportunities available to current and future employees.

Cobham Technical Services brings together over 250 people in three businesses operating in related consultancy and technology design areas. ERA Technology, based in Leatherhead UK, started life as the 'Electrical Research Association', a cooperative organisation undertaking research predominantly associated with electricity supply and use. Today, it offers leading-edge design, development and consultancy services but across a broader range of markets from electronics and communications systems, to antenna technology, safety and EMC, and reliability engineering.

Culham Lightning of Abingdon UK, is dedicated to understanding the problems relating to the direct and indirect effects of lightning strikes. It provides consultancy and testing services to clients in aerospace and other sectors including wind power and oil and gas. The business has made significant contribution to lightning standards and best practices used in many applications, particularly aerospace.

Based in Oxford UK and Aurora USA, Vector Fields produces advanced design automation software for modelling and analysing electromagnetic equipment and effects. Its virtual prototyping and optimisation tools speed time to market in an exceptionally broad range of applications from communications products and systems, to motors, loudspeakers and particle beam machines.

Paul McCarter, General Manager of Cobham Technical Services, commented:

“In an increasingly competitive and international marketplace, aligning three successful businesses under the name Cobham Technical Services is going to make it easier for our customers and employees to understand the breadth of capabilities and opportunities available to them from across Cobham. This is an evolution of a successful growing business, with our great products and services now provided under the brand of a FTSE 100 company.”

About Cobham Technical Services

Cobham Technical Services works at the leading-edge of innovation by undertaking advanced design and development, producing high-performance custom components and sub-systems, delivering specialist technical consultancy services and by providing state-of-the art electromagnetic and power system modelling software products.

Our services reduce technical and commercial risk, and improve the performance and competitiveness of products, systems and engineering infrastructure assets.

We deliver industry-leading technology solutions to government departments and global companies across communications, aerospace, defence, manufacturing, process, transport, electronics, medical and energy industry sectors.

Cobham Technical Services is based across three UK sites at Leatherhead, Surrey (ERA Technology); Kidlington, Oxfordshire (Vector Fields Software) and Abingdon, Oxfordshire (Lightning Testing and Consultancy).