Foreword from Professor Michael Roberts,
CEO of Central Science Laboratory (CSL), York.

Professor Mike Roberts is the Chief Executive of the Central Science Laboratory (CSL) based in York. The CSL is an agency for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

The CSL supports the government in helping industry with innovation and due diligence in terms of food safety and produce. With an annual turnover of £50 million and over 700 staff, the CSL is involved in some big science issues from plant quarantine and food safety to the regulation of agriculture and wildlife management issues such as bird flu and badger TB.

Despite a full time commitment to food and land safety, Mike is also an active member of the Yorkshire Science Council, as he believes the organisation plays a fundamental role in promoting the science, technology and innovation capabilities of the region.

"The development of the Regional Innovation Strategy, and its future implementation, provides a much needed framework for linking up the three sectors of academic, public and private. The particular contribution we have been able to make is in linking the region into the European Framework Programmes. The benefits we have had relate to our spin-out company as we received considerable technical support in the process, from both Science City York and from Yorkshire Forward.

"The CSL is a living embodiment of the success of innovation hubs and in response to the concept of developing regional hubs within the Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS) we are intending to make facilities at CSL available to provide an incubation facility on site.

"Yorkshire Science has an important role to play in highlighting the skills base of the region and the wealth of opportunity we have within the academic centres. Things such as the growth in bio-fuels illustrate that we do have opportunities for significant inward investment.

"We have already promoted the success of academic and business collaboration through the CICs (Centres of Industrial Collaboration) and we should be strengthening that. The RIS gives a coordinated structure for incubator developments and I think the changes in agriculture and the chemical industry, in relation to bio-fuels, is a big opportunity for the region.

"In terms of engaging SMEs, we have to make the area attractive to inward investment and we and the universities are doing a lot of work in that area. The Regional Innovation Strategy gives this a focus and illustrates what the region has on offer."

For inward investment, science is strong in the region, as are manufacturing facilities on a small scale; the RIS talks about extending free services, innovation support and expert advice out into industries to help them grow.

Yorkshire Science Members

Martin Bailey, NG Bailey Limited, becomes the latest member of the Yorkshire Science & Innovation Council

Martin Bailey is a third generation member of the Bailey family. The family business, NG Bailey, was started by Martin's grandfather in 1921 and is a major company in the construction and maintenance industry specialising in building services.

After graduating from Durham University in 1980 with a B.Sc (Hons) in Engineering Science, his career began with the company as student apprentice progressing to Project Engineer and then Divisional Director for Leeds branch. He moved into Engineering and IT Departments as Director before being appointed Managing Director in 2002.

He has recently been appointed Chief Innovation Officer for the group, taking responsibility for developing innovative processes and technologies which are critical to its strategic ambition.

In the latest Yorkshire Science e-zine, Mr Bailey talks about the importance of innovation and what membership of the Yorkshire Science Council means to him.

"I think innovation is important to any business, if you don't innovate, you just become the norm and not a leader. We are a leading player in our industry and have been for a long time, through constant innovation.

"Innovation can be many things from continuous improvement to innovation in other areas. Equally there are different ways of implementing innovation, offering different solutions for different customers. We are always investigating other practices that can take the business further, for example we have moved towards offsite manufacturing. Innovation is about constantly trying to get into other markets and how to take the business forward.

"I think where we have been systematically successful is to have innovation embedded into the culture of the business. We invest heavily in training and development, which is essential if you want to keep your team at the leading edge of capability.

"Another area of success has been in breaking down barriers with other contractors, removing silos and developing beneficial relationships, pushing our boundaries to create a new direction.

"We like to work in association with smaller businesses too. I get a real buzz of linking them with us and I think it is important that we can lead by example. We are always open to new and fresh ideas and welcome smaller businesses knocking on our door with an innovative idea or practice, so that they can grow with us.

"What Bailey has done for continuous improvement, is to adopt a lean implementation scheme. We have utilised off-site techniques and are working with other complementary companies. We acquired a ceilings and partition business as we see more building environment opportunities coming through the sustainability agenda. Our business - or any business for that matter - has to keep evolving and constantly moving to maintain success.

"I'm not too proud to take on something that our competitors have created if it is going to benefit our business, whilst differentiating ourselves against our competition.

"I would hope that the contribution I can bring to Yorkshire Science is to impress upon all businesses the importance and significance of innovation. It is imperative that businesses try to break down external barriers that stifle the innovative process.

"For me, taking part in Yorkshire Science offers an opportunity to get Yorkshire and the Humber to learn how to become better innovators. We are doing OK, but we need to make sure that we get the right facilities and un-tap that great potential by exciting and switching on more and more people to the opportunities of innovation.

"Another important element will be getting graduates through to the right degrees and a lot of integration with businesses for a better success rate. Do degree courses have to be three years long; could we look at a different way of doing this, perhaps six years working in parallel in a business, so our graduates come out of full time education debt free with an already agreed career trajectory?

"What I hope to achieve through Yorkshire Science, is linking with other business. We are interested in practical financial opportunities. I think that we are here to provide the missing link, you can have great ideas, but if they don't make it through to application then they are absolutely useless. How do you make it happen? Get those networks in place, not for a nice evangelical trip, but because you can see real business benefits by being involved.

"I'm hoping that I can be a part of that interaction, that we can have a real input in areas that will create an effective growth culture, making Yorkshire even more competitive, value driven and future proof."

From Polystyrene to Picture Frames - a new look for an old product

Innovation isn't just associated with the research, development and manufacture of new products, but is equally applicable to the innovative application of old or existing technologies.

Using existing materials in an innovative way is exactly what Purex International Ltd, based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire has done. They have created an innovative way to cut the cost of landfill, find an alternative fuel and provide effective recycling for the mundanely everyday product of polystyrene.

Whilst an effective packaging material for numerous white goods, the disposal of polystyrene can be problematic. The UK currently land-fills the equivalent of 15,000 Olympic sized swimming pools of waste polystyrene every year, Purex International have invented the Styromelt to significantly reduce the problem.

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) provides effective packaging as it is hardy but light, due to its composition of 95% air. As local authorities struggle to meet European legislative changes about landfill, the Styromelt Thermal Densification System, can help reduce the amount of landfill waste and recycle much of the original product.

The Styromelt machine has a 2.5 cubic metre capacity, which is filled with EPS. Temperature controlled thermal plates then heat the EPS to melting point, gasses and air are released, forming a liquid which is collected in the tray to cool.

Once cool, the solidified block is then stored for recycling. The original EPS is reduced to 5% of its original mass, and the heating process simultaneously sterilises the newly formed material ready for use.

The material can be recycled and transformed into a multitude of new products from coat hangers to picture frames and even disposable cameras. The thermally compacted blocks can be sold for energy recovery or incineration as polystyrene generates large quantities of useable energy, approximate 16,000 BTUs/pound, which is twice that of coal.

As major suppliers and retailers become more aware of the ethical removal of packaging and waste products, the Styromelt system is providing a successful solution.

Marketing Manager, Jon Young, said: "We are beginning to sell these machines in numbers throughout Europe. The surprising thing is people keep phoning us with new and surprising uses of the Styromelt. To date we have sold to fish processors, supermarkets, electrical retailers and car manufactures amongst others. One enterprising high street electrical retailer is buying a Styromelt so that he can melt all the polystyrene generated by all the shops on his high street. He charges them a small fee; they save money on waste collection and he can also sell the end product to recyclers for over £100 per ton. Genius!"

Flying high to success

A new company set up in a ground-breaking deal between CSL and private investors was launched officially in May this year by Food and Farming Minister, Lord Rooker. Forsite Diagnostics Ltd. has been created to develop rapid, on-site testing kits for the plant health, animal health and food safety markets.

Establishment of Forsite Diagnostics is a major success for CSL's on-going strategy of developing and managing intellectual property. The technology behind the new company was developed with Government funding during the search for the most effective tool for in-field detection of potato diseases. Out of this work, the Pocket Diagnostic range of hand-held, on-site test kits for plant diseases was born, and the potential of the technology was proved.

A search for private investors to take this technology to market reached a successful conclusion in January this year, when a deal was signed with Safeguard Biosystems Holdings Ltd., an international company with a strong interest in diagnostic technologies. 'The sale of Forsite gives CSL a significant return on investment', says Professor Mike Roberts, CSL's chief executive, 'and provides the new company with resources for rapid growth as an independent entity.'

Forsite is a tenant on the CSL site outside York and has strong growth plans. The company already employs 12 staff carrying out research, manufacturing and sales of its range of on-site test kits. The kits use innovative but simple to use lateral flow technology, similar to pregnancy test kits. Results are available in 2-3 minutes, enabling rapid decision making by farmers, vets and food safety specialists. Part of Safeguard's investment has been used to purchase automated production equipment to allow fulfilment of high volume orders already in the pipeline.

Professor Roberts is keen to emphasise that the establishment of Forsite illustrates the value of on-going relationships between CSL and private sector investors. 'Close collaboration is beneficial to both parties, providing a route to market for a wide range of diagnostic technologies developed at CSL. We already have a range of exploitation and collaborative initiatives to develop further our intellectual property. Forsite is our first spin-out, and I expect there will be others as our technologies are developed through to maturity.'

BP Saltend Welcomes Major Investment in Biofuels Manufacturing

BP's Saltend site in Hull was recently unveiled as the location for a major investment in biofuels production as BP, Associated British Foods (ABF) and DuPont announced investment plans totalling around $400 million for the construction of a world scale bioethanol plant alongside a high technology demonstration plant to advance development work on the next generation of biofuels.

The bioethanol plant, in which BP and ABF subsidiary British Sugar would each hold 45 per cent with DuPont owning the remaining 10 per cent, will be built on BP's existing chemicals site at Saltend, Hull. Due to be commissioned in late 2009, it will have an annual production capacity of some 420 million litres (330,000 tonnes). Although initial production would be bioethanol, the partners will look at the feasibility of converting it to biobutanol once the required technology is available.

"We are delighted that the partnership has chosen Saltend for the location of this important new project which will complement our existing acetic acid business," said Dave Smith, BP Saltend's General Manager, European Acetyls. "Once operational it will provide around 70 new full-time posts in addition to the employment opportunities generated by the construction phase."

The bioethanol plant will be built from scratch but will have access to the existing infrastructure at the BP site for essential supporting services. Front end engineering and design work will commence immediately with Aker Kvaerner leading the project and their joint venture partner Praj providing the technology expertise. Construction work will commence early next year after the required regulatory approvals are obtained.

"We are delighted to be announcing, subject to the necessary approvals, the construction of a world scale bioethanol plant in Hull with our partners ABF and DuPont to enable petrol biocomponents to be available to meet the 2010 Renewable Fuel Obligation," said Iain Conn, chief executive officer of BP's refining and marketing business. "In addition we have also selected Hull as the preferred location for a planned biobutanol demonstration plant as laboratory research work on the production of this first advanced biofuel that we and partners DuPont will bring to market is progressing well."

The planned biobutanol demonstration plant, which will be funded and owned equally by BP and DuPont, could produce around 20,000 litres of biobutanol a year from a wide variety of feedstocks. The demonstration plant will use biological processes which have a long history of safe use. These biological processes will be optimised for efficient biobutanol production.

"This collaboration with DuPont is an exciting development towards the next generation of biofuels," said John Cook from BP's Hull Research and Technology Centre. "Our aim is to have the plant operating by early 2009 and to provide an operational technology as quickly as we can."

Bubbly, outgoing, and progressive UK region WLTM adventurous European partner for a voyage of joint discovery and future opportunities, GSOH and great GDP preferred.

...could have been the opening for a recent European 'Speed Dating' meeting held in Warsaw, Poland on 6 July 2007.

Trevor Gregory, Director of Yorkshire Science, represented Yorkshire Forward and the science, technology and innovation aspirations of the Yorkshire and Humber region.

The aim of the event was to create opportunities for long-term collaboration both in business and joint research ventures, between innovation support players in the UK and complementary innovation support organisations from across the European Union.

Over 40 delegates attended the meeting with the potential to 'speed date' with 16 'would like to meet' organisations. Over a 15 minute session, delegates were able to meet representatives from key policy agencies, research organisations and selected innovative companies, to exchange ideas and discuss future potential projects. At the end of the 15-minute sessions, delegates were encouraged to 'rotate' and meet another organization.

Closer collaboration with Europe is one of the key strands of the Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS) and the 'Speed Dating' event was a good opportunity to put this into practice, finding out about potential partners, working in similar fields of innovation.

Host organisation Technology Innovation Information (Tii) and EURADA opened the event and guest regions (Silesia, West Pomerania, Wielkoplska, Warmia and Mazury), each gave a twenty minute presentation. These outlined the cluster strengths of each region, current innovation projects and areas of potential collaboration.

Mr Gregory said: "This was a very effective system, we made contact with some interesting organisations and we shall definitely be pursuing potential associations further.

"I can certainly see some obvious links to be made between some of the attending regions and our universities and existing agencies. We shall certainly be connecting the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology to Mike Roberts and his team at the Central Science Lab (CSL). Equally, many of the organisations were very interested in what we have achieved with the Centres of Industrial Collaboration (CICs) and were keen to find out more."

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