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Ricardo, Inc. Achieves QS 9000 Registration

23 October 1997

Ricardo, Inc. Achieves QS 9000 Registration

    DETROIT, Oct. 23 -- The Detroit Technical Center of Ricardo,
Inc. has achieved certification to QS 9000 in August 1997 after gaining
approval for ISO 9001 in November 1996.
    Ricardo chose Lloyd's Register of Quality Assurance (LRQA), a world
leading certification body to undertake both assessments.  Gaining both
certificates was the culmination of a strategic quality initiative by Ricardo
to seek certification for all of it's locations both in the USA and England to
demonstrate Ricardo's ongoing determination to provide their international
customer base with a global World Class Quality System.
    In addition, potential customers can use ISO 9001/QS 9000 as a benchmark
of the commitment to Quality at Ricardo, Inc.
    The certification covers all of the diverse activities carried out at the
Detroit Technical Centers, including: Design, Development and Testing of
Powertrain Technology, Rapid Prototyping Services, Manufacturing and
Recruitment of Quality and Technical Staff.
    The ISO 9001/QS 9000 certification requires regular assessments both
internally and by LRQA which will provide feedback to Ricardo, enabling us to
pursue Continuous Improvement in every area of our business, to further
improve the service we provide to our Customers.
    Ricardo Group plc is a publicly held company founded in 1917 in the United
Kingdom.  Today, a total of 1,150 technical staff offer a diverse and complete
range of automotive engineering services.  Ricardo, Inc. was established in
1989 and is a North American subsidiary of Ricardo Group plc with operations
in Detroit and Chicago.  Growth in this market has resulted from a strategy
focused on core automotive competencies in emissions, refinement, and improved
powertrain efficiency.  Ricardo, Inc. employs over 250 personnel housed in
120,000 square feet of high specification facilities.

SOURCE  Ricardo, Inc.