CPI to host the Knowledge Centre for Materials Chemistry

CPI to host the Knowledge Centre for Materials Chemistry, accelerating UK open innovation 1 June 2017

Wilton, UK – The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), the UK’s technology innovation provider for the process industry, today announced that it is now host to the Knowledge Centre for Materials Chemistry (KCMC). The KCMC works to link chemistry-using industries across the UK with its partner research institutions to facilitate collaboration between industry and academia. KCMC is growing rapidly and will integrate with CPI to support materials innovation within the UK’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult. The partnership with CPI will allow KCMC to access world-leading innovation centres that will bring benefit not only to KCMC’s current research institution partners, but will also provide other materials chemistry researchers and companies with access to CPI’s state-of-the-art facilities. Essentially, the new arrangement will provide a platform for open innovation, accelerating materials chemistry innovation within the UK. There are six research institutions partnered within the KCMC: The University of Manchester, University of Liverpool, University of Bristol, University of Bolton, the Hartree Centre and the University of Southampton. The KCMC team works as a virtual centre across the UK to maintain and grow academic partnerships and this will integrate with CPI’s own academic partnership programmes. KCMC envisages further growth and is exploring new collaboration opportunities that will develop supply chains to strengthen programmes in new materials innovation. ​“This transition marks a major new milestone in the development of the KCMC. It will bring together the research power of leading materials chemistry centres in the knowledge base with the innovation expertise of CPI and the High Value Manufacturing Catapult,” said John Conti-Ramsden, Director of KCMC. ​“We anticipate delivering new benefits for our industry partners through continued expansion of the KCMC partnership and new connections across the Catapult network.” ​“We are looking forward to working with key stakeholders in business, academia and government to ensure the continued success and growth of the KCMC,” said Graham Hillier, Strategy Director at the Centre for Process Innovation. ​“Through the use of our state-of-the-art innovation centres, access to our High Value Manufacturing capabilities and our knowledge on working with universities, we can help KCMC to meet the material chemistry needs of companies in the UK innovation landscape.” ​“This presents an opportunity for continued growth of KCMC within the Innovate UK family and KTN looks forward to working with CPI and KCMC to drive UK economic growth through innovation in materials chemistry,” said Dr. Iain McGregor, Director of KTN.  ​“The Governing Board is delighted that these developments have come to fruition. We have full confidence that KCMC’s new relationship with CPI will provide the right framework to allow KCMC and its partners to achieve their goals in translational materials chemistry activities” Professor Ronan McGrath on behalf of the KCMC Governing Board.

Notes to the Editor

About CPI

The Centre for Process Innovation is a UK-based technology innovation centre and part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult. The company uses applied knowledge in science and engineering combined with state of the art development facilities to enable its clients to develop, prove, prototype and scale up the next generation of products and processes. Established to support the UK process manufacturing industry, CPI collaborates with universities, SMEs and large corporations to help overcome innovation challenges. Operating across a broad range of technologies, partners are supported at every stage; from concept to market; business support to technology development; and from scale up to supply chain intervention. CPI consists of dedicated national innovation centres that support industrial biotechnology and biorefining, printable electronics, biologics and formulation. The centres enable advancements in major markets such as healthcare, electronics, food and drink, aerospace, automotive, materials, and energy. These world leading, digitally enabled and open access facilities are available for partners to get their products and processes to market quickly with minimal risk. Utilising strong networks, CPI brings together a range of partners in the delivery of innovation projects, with a common goal of strengthening the UK’s position in High Value Manufacturing. For more information, please visit: https://​www​.uk​-cpi​.com/ Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn About KTN The Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) helps businesses get the best out of creativity, ideas and the latest discoveries, to strengthen the UK economy and improve people’s lives. As a network partner of Innovate UK, KTN links new ideas and opportunities with expertise, markets and finance through our network of businesses, universities, funders and investors. From agri-food to autonomous systems and from energy to design, KTN combines in-depth knowledge in all sectors with the ability to cross boundaries. About KCMC KCMC helps drive growth in the UK’s chemistry-using industries by coordinating the development and exploitation of leading-edge materials chemistry research. KCMC’s major themes include energy and sustainability, electronics and photonics, biologically based materials and formulated products. KCMC was founded in 2008 with funding from the Northwest Development Agency. Since then, KCMC has grown to become a national centre in new materials innovation. KCMC was hosted by the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) and funded by Innovate UK between April 2013 and 1 June 2017. KCMC will maintain close working relationships with KTN. For more information, please visit http://​mate​ri​als​chem​istry​.org​.uk/ Follow us on Twitter https://​twit​ter​.com/​K​C​M​CnewsContact information:info@​uk-​cpi.​comkcmc@​uk-​cpi.​comEditorial follow-up Kate Whelan, Notch Communications Kate.​Whelan@​notchcommunications.​co.​uk +46 702381149