Iain Gray discovers region’s innovations

01/02/2010

Chief Executive of the Government-backed Technology Strategy Board Iain Gray will officially launch a Yorkshire and Humber-based innovation network during a visit to the region next week.

Yorkshire Forward’s new Formulation Innovation Network will provide business benefits across a range of chemistry using sectors, including healthcare, personal care, pharmaceuticals, agrichemicals, food and coatings. Businesses will benefit from the Network through facilitated cross-sector research and knowledge transfer to address future challenges and opportunities.

The Innovation Network will bring together companies large and small, from Yorkshire and Humber and outside the region, as well as universities and other organisations, in order to stimulate and support collaborative activities.

Mr Gray will officially launch the Network on Tuesday February 2, when the first interactive workshop will also take place. The theme of the day – Doing More with Less – will address innovations in multifunctional components to give targeted effects and reduce the number of components used.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Mr Gray said: “Collaboration and innovation go hand in hand and I am looking forward to launching the Formulation Innovation Network and seeing firsthand the way businesses in Yorkshire and Humber work together, and with national and regional partners, to create innovative and pioneering technologies and processes.”

Jim Farmery, Assistant Director of Business at Yorkshire Forward, said: “We are always keen to promote collaboration and the transfer and sharing of knowledge within Yorkshire and Humber, and the Innovation Formulation Network will give chemistry-using companies in the region the perfect opportunity to do just that.

“We know that collaboration breeds innovation, and are confident that by giving companies this platform we will see the development of exciting new technologies and processes.”

Yorkshire Forward has contributed £5million along with £4million from the European Regional Development Fund to establish four Innovation Networks including the Advanced Engineering and Materials Innovation Network and the Health Innovation Network.

Jim Bullock, CEO of Intelligent Formulation Ltd, and Director of the Formulation Innovation Network, says: “Formulations are vital to everything we do and nearly every product we use, but because Formulation is not recognised as a discipline in itself, each industry has built up its own expertise. Our role is to facilitate research and knowledge transfer to accelerate innovation across industry sectors and to address future opportunities.

“Companies are also telling us that there is a gap between some aspects of academic training and industry practice. We want to address this and turn formulation into a coherent discipline.”

During his visit Mr Gray will meet with Yorkshire Forward Chief Executive Tom Riordan to discuss the Low Carbon Agenda including the significant renewable energy opportunities and low carbon initiative in the region, including Carbon Capture Storage. Mr Gray will also meet with Jon Price, Director of Centre for Low Carbon Futures, Ian Graham, Director of Centre for Novel Agricultural Products at the University of York and Richard Gregory, Chair of Yorkshire Innovation to discuss a variety of other programmes.

Mr Gray will also visit the pioneering Innovation and Knowledge Centre in Regenerative Therapies and Devices at the University of Leeds, which specialises in technologies and treatments which enable the repair or replacement of human tissues damaged by disease, degeneration or injury. He will then attend the Institute of Process Research and Development, which is funded by ERDF and Yorkshire Forward, and encourages scientists at the University of Leeds to work closely with industry to develop useable, competitive and valuable technology designed for cleaner processes.

Richard Gregory, Chair of Yorkshire Innovation, said: “This is an important visit by Iain Gray because it is crucial that Yorkshire’s innovation skills play into the national agenda led by the Technology Strategy Board. Our relationship and aligned programmes have developed considerably over the last year.

“Yorkshire Innovation is delighted to see the realisation of its recommendations in the launch of the Formulation Innovation Network and the development of the other important innovation initiatives featured in the visit.”

For further information

For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact Dan Murphy, Press Manager on 0113 3949904 or email Daniel.murphy@yorkshire-forward.com
 
Yorkshire Forward

  • Yorkshire Forward is the Regional Development Agency behind the economic regeneration of Yorkshire and Humber. It aims to make a positive difference by investing in jobs, improving towns and cities, and in supporting businesses throughout the region.

 
The Technology Strategy Board

  • The Technology Strategy Board is a business-led executive non-departmental public body, established by the Government. Its role is to promote and support research into, and development and exploitation of, technology and innovation for the benefit of UK business, in order to increase economic growth and improve quality of life. It is sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). For more information please visit www.innovateuk.org.

 
Yorkshire and The Humber ERDF Programme 2007-2013

  • The regional European Regional Development Fund Programme is managed by Yorkshire Forward on behalf of a regional partnership including the National Government, European Commission and Regional bodies. The programme has €583 million from the European Regional Development Fund to invest in the region by 2013.
  • ERDF is one of the European Union’s major financial instruments for supporting regional economic development across Europe. It is provided to support the European Union’s cohesion policy that seeks to redress imbalances in development between regions. It is used to support projects that can help local economies address the challenges of globalisation and contribute to delivering Europe’s Lisbon Strategy of growth and jobs.

Information about the European Union’s support for regional policy is available at www.ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index_en.htm