The man behind one of the UK’s leading providers of autonomous transport technology solutions has been named in The Manufacturer’s Top 100 of manufacturing professionals in the UK. David Keene, who formed Aurrigo International plc 30 years ago with his brother Graham, made the prestigious collective for a record-breaking third time after judges praised him for his leadership and passion for engineering.
The award organizer also singled out his work in driving the UK’s presence in autonomous vehicles, with its Auto-Pod and Auto-Dolly solutions spearheading the way for new technology in ‘first and last mile’ transport and the aviation sector.
The award marks a major year for the graduate engineer, with the Coventry-based company successfully listing on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) and signing a ground-breaking partnership deal to test its autonomous luggage dollies at Changi Airport in Singapore.
David Keene, who is also a Visiting Professor at Coventry University, commented: “It is such an honour to be included in the Top 100, especially when you consider the diverse and exciting talent that I’m among – spanning pretty much every engineering discipline you can imagine. I was in the original list when The Manufacturer launched the concept in 2013. It was needed then to raise the profile of industry and the people who are changing the world, the same ethos still applies today. In fact, the more we can do to promote engineering to the next generation the better. This honour is for all the team at Aurrigo. We are continually pushing the boundaries when it comes to autonomous technology, and this is only possible thanks to the expertise and passion of our employees.”
Aurrigo International plc, which has recently acquired GB Wiring Systems, employs 93 people across its Advanced Engineering Centre in Coventry and international offices in North America, Australia, and Singapore. Since it successfully raised £8m in an IPO last September, the company has seen revenues reach £5.3m for the year ending December 31st and created more than 30 new jobs, with a fresh recruitment drive just beginning to take the workforce past 100 for the first time in its history.
