Manufacturer lands £200,000 to develop new products

A 40 year-old Derbyshire manufacturer could be set to lead the way in new technology for the gas industry after landing £200,000 to work with a Midlands university.

MW Polymers, a manufacturer of sealants, adhesives and coatings for pipeline industries which is based in Little Eaton, Derbyshire, has won an innovation grant of over £200,000. The funding is provided by Government body Innovate UK and will support a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project between MW Polymers and Aston University.

The aim of a KTP project is to exchange knowledge three-ways between the business, the University and the graduate.

Mike Wild, founder and managing director of MW Polymers, said: “Securing funding from Innovate UK is a great result. It will enable us to work with the brightest minds in the field of advanced materials. By the end of the project, we’re confident we will have an innovative product suitable for industry.”

The project will start at the beginning of January 2019 and will see the appointment of a new polymer scientist to the MW Polymers team. They will be responsible for developing a new polymeric material with the support of MW Polymers and the Aston Institute of Materials Research (AIMR), which is led by professor Paul Topham.

Speaking on the project, Professor Topham said: “This is an exciting project for Aston University to be part of. Aside from developing a new advanced material, we will have the opportunity to build stronger industry links through MW Polymers, which will benefit our students. In addition, it will enable Aston University to maintain its position as a leader in advanced materials research.”