WEC squad KCMG to open major new R&D plant

Motorsport.com can exclusively reveal that the significant office and factory capability will be located in Clonshaugh, close to Dublin in Ireland.

The new business will service many industries, including motorsport and will major on carbon composite design and production.

The Irish base will feed another 'mass production' manufacturing factory which currently exists in Taiwan.

"It will be our European base and [KCMG founder] Paul is working very hard on it at present," KCMG's motorsport manager, Ryuji Doi told Motorsport.com.

"Our plan is for all the high-level R&D, new technology and one-off bespoke composite items to be created here.

"We will work with Aviation, Aerospace, Space, Automotive, Concept vehicles and of course Motorsport partners here in the future. It is an exciting project for the group."

KCMG could eventually move its FIA WEC race team from its current location near Stuttgart, Germany to the new Irish base.

It currently shares a facility with the Proton Competition team. KCMG founder and chairman Paul Ip is personally taking control of the new venture in Ireland and along with his team is aiming to complete the new plant by the late spring with the objective of making it operational by late summer.

Motorsport.com has also discovered that KCMG has recently recruited a leading Supply Chain specialist. David O'Halloran is working with Paul Ip to set up the company, bringing considerable experience in e-commerce and industrial management.

In addition, KCMG has also recently recruited Composite Engineering specialist Brendan Austin, who was previously the Engineering head at Morson Projects, a leading European aviation/aerospace design and manufacturing company.