Ice Hockey UK are proud to announce that Standard Motor Products Europe’s (SMPE) Lucas brand is the new main sponsor of all Great Britain teams for 2019.
As part of the sponsorship agreement, Lucas branding will appear on all GB jerseys including those worn by the men at the IIHF World Championship and the women at the Women’s World Championship, which gets under way tomorrow in Dumfries.
The men’s tournament, which takes place in Slovakia from 10th to 26th May, will be broadcast globally to a TV audience of 1.9 billion across 130 territories, including Europe, USA, Canada, Russia and China.
The UK is currently hosting the women’s Division II Group A tournament in Dumfries and GB Women are joined by Australia, DPR Korea, Mexico, Slovenia and Spain.
The Lucas engine management brand is distributed to customers throughout Europe by Standard Motor Products Europe (SMPE).
From 1st May 2019, the company will also acquire the license to supply the Lucas brand to customers in the UK & Ireland, with many expected to benefit from SMPE’s considerable investment in range re-profiling, packaging and cataloguing.
Ross Toomey, Standard Motor Products Europe’s managing director, believes the Lucas sponsorship hails the beginning of what promises to be an exciting partnership, as it strengthens its ties with the sport.
“We’re delighted to partner with Ice Hockey UK to support all GB teams to create a legacy off the back of the men’s return to the top level,” he said.
“By sponsoring the team under the iconic Lucas brand, SMPE hopes to increase the awareness and development of the sport on a national level.
“This partnership also forms part of the next exciting chapter for Lucas, as we shortly become official Lucas licensees in the UK & Ireland, to match our current licence agreement in Europe.”
Ice Hockey UK general secretary, Andy French, said: “We are very excited by the sponsorship deal with Lucas.
“We are proud to have them on-board with Ice Hockey UK and the Great Britain national team. Lucas are a well-known brand and we are really looking forward to linking up with them.
“It is major sponsorship deal in the history of IHUK and GB – and we look forward to working with Lucas. We hope this is the start of a long and fruitful relationship between Lucas and Ice Hockey UK.”
The Lucas engine management programme includes ignition coils, cam/crank sensors, air mass meters, lead sets, coolant temp sensors and oil pressure switches, engineered by SMPE in the UK and Poland.
Picture above left to right: Saffron Allen (GB Women), Ross Toomey (Lucas managing director), Pete Russell (GB Men head coach), Liam Stenton (GB U18s), Andy French (Ice Hockey UK general secretary), Will Fry (Lucas marketing & communications manager) and Jodie Bloom (GB Women) holding GB’s new green warm-up shirts.
