ROLLS-ROYCE will celebrate on Tuesday 4 May 2004, the date marking the centenary of the first meeting of Henry Royce and the Hon Charles Rolls, a partnership the name of which was to become the symbol of quality and engineering excellence ” Rolls-Royce. Following their introduction at the Midland Hotel, Manchester (which is now a Crown Plaza) , Royce ” a humble man, but consummate engineer ” agreed with Rolls, a pioneer motorist and supplier to the aristocracy, to market his motor cars under the name 'Rolls-Royce'. By 1906 Rolls-Royce Ltd was formed, and a year later the motoring press hailed the latest model, the Silver Ghost, "the best car in the world". In the world of aviation perhaps the company”s most noteworthy production (of many ” and still more to come) was the Merlin engine the premier power plant of the Allied air forces in the Second World War, kitting out not only fighters, like the Spitfire, but also many bombers. By the end of the war 168,000 Merlins had been produced in the UK and USA. At the same time that Rolls reminded the media of its forthcoming event Cathay Pacific has announced plans to purchase two Trent 800 powered Boeing 777s and three Trent 700 powered Airbus A330s. Delivery of these aircraft is scheduled to begin in April 2005 and August 2006 respectively. The value of the engine business to Rolls-Royce is USD120m.
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