Assa Abloy's Christmas Gift
by Assa Abloy media on 21 Dec 2002
Today, Volvo Event Management UK was given an unusually large Christmas Gift - the female mould used to build the innovative state-of-the-art ASSA ABLOY boats. The gift is intended to facilitate the development of the platform for the next Volvo Ocean Race.
A gift box was delivered to the Volvo Ocean Race Head Quarters in Whiteley
(UK) with a certificate, a key and a card inside saying:
'Merry Christmas to all at Volvo Ocean Race.
We wanted to underline the fantastic experience we had with you during the
first edition of the Volvo Ocean Race...so we wanted to offer you a special
gift.
Our precious gift was too big to wrap but it is located close to you in
Southampton at Spitfire Quay...
The female mould that was used to build the ASSA ABLOY boats is yours to
keep and can be used over and over again to build identical hulls. We hope
the real value of the gift is shining beyond the free publicity involved and
is really perceived as a true will from us to contribute to the future of
the race.
Thank you for a good co-operation in 2002 and best wishes for 2003.
ASSA ABLOY Racing Team'
The ASSA ABLOY boats were possibly the lightest VO60 boats ever built. One of the reasons for this was that they were the only VO60s built out of a
female mould. The female mould is made of 8 mm solid carbon fiber by Green Marine Ltd in Lymington, UK. It took 5000 man hours to build it and the building cost was 300 000 USD.
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