LG Electronics has announced the opening of its new European Design Centre in Covent Garden, London, UK.

The purpose of LG's new Design Centre is to create European designs based on European consumers' requirements. The designers will also be called upon to adapt products that will appeal to the European market, but which have been developed elsewhere.

LG will be investing over US$4.8 million into design programs in Europe in 2008 alone. The first fully European designed product, a mobile handset, is to be unveiled this August.

LG's European Design Centre will house a multi-national team of 22 expert designers by 2009, from across Europe. They will design products for LG's entire range of consumer products including; mobile handsets and devices, flat-screen TV?s and audio systems, white-goods and other home electronics.