Level design for Scotland

Electronics Times, June 7, 1999

US-based Level One Communications is setting up a design and development centre in Scotland in a #2m initiative supported by Scottish Enterprise.

The design centre, which is to be based in Glasgow, will be the first for Level One in Europe, and aims to have a mix of 25 analogue and DSP engineers in place by 2001.

David Mckinnon, vice-president of networking business development at Level One, has been responsible for overseeing the move to set up the operation in Scotland.

McKinnon said: "The move is an expansion of our base to be closer to European customers and establish specifically European-based products, based on the differing standards.

"We will seek to establish co-operation with Scottish universities, [taking on] a minimum of 25 engineers."

Bob Pepper, president and CEO of Level One, said: "Scotland, with its strong semiconductor design expertise and excellent university system, offers Level One a high quality talent pool close to several of our major European customers.

"Level One is adopting a regional customer-driven approach, working with customers to meet their needs for product integration as well as their needs for clear migration strategies."

Initially, activities at the design centre will focus on network products with particular emphasis on Ethernet. But McKinnon expects future activities to include telecoms development, specifically integrated data and communications development.

The design and development centre will be headed by Duncan Bremner who will be appointed director of Level One UK development.

Crawford Beveridge, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise, said: "We are delighted that a company as significant as Level One has chosen to set up its European centre here.

"The decision is very important for the growing electronics design community in Scotland led by initiatives such as the Alba Centre. We are confident that Level One will flourish from its Scottish base."

Level One is at present in merger talks with Intel which it hopes to complete within the next six to seven weeks.