While it may seem like early days, this is actually far from the truth. Ericsson Racing Team recently acquired the winning yacht from the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-2006, ABN AMRO One (ABN 1), for preparation purposes. It is currently being used to put the team through its paces for training and speed tests, extending the team's commitment to develop a successful 2008-2009 campaign.

It is interesting to note, from a team and supplier standpoint, that ABN 1 also used ACG's VTM260 series prepregs and VTA260 film adhesive. Even more remarkable is that Ericsson Racing Team is using the services of Killian Bushe as construction manager, i.e. the same person who headed the team that built ABN 1. It is no coincidence really, as this gentleman has yacht building in his veins. Moreover, the construction plan for the Ericsson boat is based on an exclusive design by Juan Kouyoumdjian, one of the world's foremost designers of racing and cruising sailboats, and also the designer of ABN 1.

Born in Cork, Ireland, in 1955, Killian Bushe has been at the forefront of composite boatbuilding technology since the early eighties and has produced many high quality light-weight-racing cup-winning yachts, ranging in size from 40 to 85 feet. Among many successful projects is the Volvo 60 Illbruck, which was built in Leverkusen Germany, and went on to win the 2001-2002 Volvo Ocean Race. As we have seen above, Bushe also built ABN 1, the winner of Volvo Ocean Race 2005-06, but he also built its sister yacht, ABN AMRO Two, which finished 4th in the same race. Killian also built the new version 5 Americas Cup yacht for Victory Challenge (SWE), which was built in Gothenburg. Killian has been appointed as Ericsson Racing Teams Construction Manager. Both Bushe and his team see this as a new and exciting challenge.

Ericsson Racing Team commenced building its two new VO 70 yachts this Spring, just 200 meters from Ericsson's corporate headquarters outside Stockholm, thus confirming the company's desire to share its race campaign with its staff, partners and customers. The first step was to build the female mould that would be used to form the composite carbon-fibre hull. This stage, which required great precision and attention to detail, was concluded in the Spring.

Killian Bushe is quoted as saying, "The build site is state-of-the-art. Since November, we have worked hard at putting the right team in place and getting all the necessary tools ready. This includes the two ovens - one of them as big as the boat (25 meters) - and a smaller one for all the components. It feels good to get started on the construction; we are looking forward to this new challenge."

After the build of the hull and the deck, the construction specialists will then add the systems, electronics and thousands of other details that will allow the boat to sail around the world. The launch of the new Ericsson Racing Team yacht is planned for late 2007. ACG's VTM260 series of epoxy resin matrices is a new generation of long outlife, flexible cure temperature formulations, which can be applied to a wide range of reinforcements and adapted to a variety of low cost vacuum-bag composite processes. This series offers extended outlife up to 30 days, an absolute essential characteristic for large-scale projects such as yacht building.

Ericsson Racing Team consists of two racing teams, one International and one Nordic. Anders Lewander will be the skipper of the Nordic boat, but following John Kostecki's decision to leave, the skipper for the International boat has yet to be appointed. One senior team member is reported to have said, "We want the best people. We need sailors who have both the experience and the desire to compete in a hard environment and give it their all. But more than anything, we want to be a real team and we want to work with people who have the ability to integrate themselves into a group." Anders Lewander is a highly skilled sailor and sail maker, but has no experience in the Volvo Ocean Race. It is understood that Lewander and the rest of Ericsson Racing Team are convinced that when the training period is over, the salty old veteran Volvo Ocean Race seadogs will have to watch out.

ACG is poised ready with the materials and technological knowledge to provide technically superior materials to ensure that the expertise of Team Ericsson Racing is given the best possible opportunity to win the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009.