THE SCIENCE

ENGINEERING &

N E T Wo r k s
T E C H N O LO G Y
MAGAZINE FOR

ISSUE 11 A
NORTH EAST
ENGLAND

A MORE UT
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WORLD
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N E T PA R K
ISSN 1753-6677
FOREWORD
NETWorks reports on the very latest science and technology news, putting discoveries
and advances in the context of everyday life – showcasing County Durham and the
North East as a place of scientific excellence.

This issue looks at chemicals, electronics and
the environment. At first glance they may seem
unrelated, but they all interact and they’re all areas
in which our region is playing a significant role.
We also look at the North East Innovation
Connectors, a new approach which enables the
region to interact strategically across different
technology sectors. I am proud to say NETPark is at
the heart of this new approach.
You and I, as individuals, benefit from this
interaction, but there are also enormous potential
business benefits.
There’s a conference due to take place in the region in
October – Green Leaders. At a time when green issues
are riding high on the political agenda and the region
is leading the way on renewables, the conference will
examine the benefits of being a green business.
A month later, in partnership with the EKTN, we’ll be
staging Solar Flair 2009 – the National Photovoltaics
Conference – encouraging companies to innovate,
collaborate and embrace new technologies.
Solar Flair will pose the question, why is this fast-
growing technology important?
Because photovoltaics (PV) really does epitomise the
interaction I mentioned earlier. Its environmental
benefit as a potential energy source is huge and
that potential will be realised via a combination of
chemicals and electronics.
To get some idea of the business benefits, thin film
PV (TFPV) alone is predicted to be worth around
$7.2bn by 2015, capturing 35% of the PV market.
We already have Romag, a leading supplier of PV
solar panels and glass, active in the region, and
the opportunities for using printing technology to
produce thin film material PV absorber levels has
an obvious link to PETEC at NETPark.
We’ve come a long way since the earliest PV devices
in the late nineteenth century could only achieve 1%
efficiency.
But in order to be able to embed solar power
capabilities into windows, walls and roofs and to
exploit all the other commercial applications of PV,
continued innovation and investment will be crucial.
As you’ll see from the pages of NETWorks, the
region is putting the infrastructure in place to
ensure that the north east can show the world the
way forward.

Stewart Watkins
Managing Director, County Durham Development Company (CDDC)

CDDC, which encourages innovation and strategic investment on behalf of Durham County Council, is
driving the development of the North East Technology Park (NETPark) and the virtual business support
environment NETPark Net.

NETWorks is published by Distinctive Publishing Ltd, Aidan House,

Sunderland Road, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear NE8 3HU
Telephone 0191 4788300
Managing Director John Neilson
Creative Director Martin Williamson
For all enquiries including editorial, subscription and
advertising please contact Distinctive Publishing.
With thanks to all our contributors.
NETWorks is supported by NETPark www.uknetpark.net
 E L OP P R O D
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CONTENTS
26
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04. THERE ARE KNOWN UNKNOWNS

08. EUROPEAN TRADEMARKS: 44% FEE REDUCTION
GH I

09. LOW CARBON VEHICLES

N NANO TECHN

10. COMPANY KEEPS ITS COOL TO SECURE GRANT

12. IMPROVE GENERATION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY
14. CREATING THE FUTURE...EXPERTISE AND APPLICATION
16. ADDRESSING THE GYPSUM PROBLEM
18. NETPARK...CREATING THE CUTTING EDGE
20. INNOVATION CONNECTORS
O

21. SUNDERLAND SOFTWARE CITY

L OG

22. NETWORK LAUNCHED TO HELP DEVELOP PRODUCTS

Y F

24. INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL CITY BUSINESS

O

26. BREAKTHROUGH IN NANO TECHNOLOGY FOR AGRICULTURE

R
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28. SUCCESS IN THE PIPELINE FOR COMPANIES

RI

30. CREATING A WORLD CLASS WORKFORCE

C
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31. JOIN OUR KNOWLEDGE NETWORK NOW

L

TU

d
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32. THE COST OF CLIMATE CHANGE
34. CREATING NEW HORIZONS
36. FIBRE OPTICS FIRM CHOOSES NETPARK

32. THE CO
ST
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HANGE
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THERE ARE KNOWN
UNKNOWNS...
Exploring the untold vastness of the universe can help answer
some of humankind’s most fundamental questions – and can
also present some huge commercial opportunities, as Peter
Jackson discovered at a recent NETPark event.
There are known unknowns, as US Secretary of State Don Rumsfeld
famously said.
What he probably didn’t have in mind was that we know we don’t
know what makes up more than three quarters of our universe.
This disconcerting fact was pointed out by Carlos Frenk, Ogden
Professor of Fundamental Physics at Durham University, when he
spoke at the recent NETPark event `Watching the skies - £multi-million
contract opportunities in telescope programmes’.
He said: “Stars are made of the same kind of material that you and I
are made of - atoms - and yet that normal matter made of ordinary
atoms makes up only 4% of what the universe contains, 21% is
something called dark matter, which is matter which does not emit any
light or wave length. The rest is dark energy...we don’t know what it is,
but it makes up 75% of the universe and we do know it’s causing the
expansion of the universe to accelerate.’’
However, considerable efforts are being made to fill in the gaps in
astronomical knowledge and `to boldly go where no man has gone
before’. Not least at Durham University, which, as Prof Frenk pointed
out, ranks fourth among the world’s universities in terms of citations
per paper in astronomy.
Furthermore, as the presentation to business leaders and politicians
revealed, huge projects are underway to construct giant telescopes,
which will not only unlock the secrets of the universe, but also present
enormous commercial opportunities to UK businesses.
The first of these projects, the European Extremely Large Telescope
(E-ELT) was described by Prof Colin Cunningham, director UK ELT
programme, UK Astronomy Technology Centre.
This 42-metre diameter instrument will be the world’s largest infrared
telescope. To be located at a site yet to be selected, the ELT will be larger
than the Albert Hall and will comprise 5,000 tonnes of structure.
It would be made using fragmented mirrors and, to correct defraction
due to turbulence in the earth’s atmosphere, it would use adaptive
optics. It would be able to view an area of four square metres on the
moon’s surface.
“With a telescope like that we could see whether there was evidence they
really did go to the moon 40 years ago,’’ joked Prof Cunningham.
ELT will be used to look at planets in near solar systems and at galaxies
dating back to about one tenth the age of the universe. It is hoped that
it will be able to look at planets up to 32 light years away from the
Earth, a radius which would also take in 377 stars.
“There’s a reasonable chance there’s going to be some earth-like
planets in that sphere,’’ said Prof Cunningham.
It would also add to our understanding of the formation of galaxies by
looking at nearby galaxies such as the Virgo cluster, which is about 65
million light years away.
He added: “We can do astrophysics on these galaxies and
understand what was happening as galaxies were forming. One of the
experiments you can do with an extremely large telescope is measure
the acceleration of the universe directly in real time by looking at very
different quasars and looking at the absorption of light between us
and the quasar.’’
ELT is currently going through its detailed design phase, which will
be completed next year and construction, which will cost about 1bn
euros, will start in 2011, with first light scheduled in 2018.
Critical technologies for the ELT include the segmented mirrors and
control systems needed to align them to within 20 nanometers and
control systems for about 70,000 inputs and about 30,000 outputs.
It will also need adaptive optics, fast low noise detectors, high
performance real time computers and other instruments, such as
detectors and robots.
“That should give people who are interested in selling electronics and
control systems pause for thought,’’ said Prof Cunningham.
Dr Robert Pfab, knowledge exchange manager, UK Astronomy
Technology Centre, gave the example of one UK company, OpTIC
Glydwr in North Wales, which is already profiting from the ELT project.
After submitting a proposal, this company won a 5m euro contract to
apply new polishing techniques to the mirrors, which could lead to
them winning a 200m euro contract for the production of the primary
mirrors.
Dr Pfab also works for the Science and Technology Facilities Council
and in that role he is seeking to maximise UK industry involvement in
the ELT project.
He said: “Building a facility like this really relies on industry; it’s not
something that a bunch of academics or scientific engineers can
get together and whip up in a laboratory, it really requires heavy
industry.’’
He pointed out that preliminary contracts are currently open for tender
to a minimum total value of 2m euro for areas including IT, hardware
supply and maintenance and design studies. Other contracts – all for
more than 150,000 euro are expected soon for, among other areas,
design of a radio GPS system and multi-fuel gas turbine generators.
He said: “ELT is really the big opportunity for commercial organisations
to win contracts from ESO (European Southern Observatory). That’s
because at the moment, this is the preliminary design phase, so we
have large construction contracts, which will be looking for people to
snap them up and build these things.’’
He added that he would like to see at least 20% of the 1bn euro
budget going to UK companies.
The second great telescope project to be described at the presentation
was the Square Kilometre Array, SKA, telescope, which was introduced
by Phil Crosby, manager industry participation strategy, SKA Programme
Development Office.
He explained how radio telescopes detect radio signals from the
universe to build up a picture of its make-up and nature and, while
they seek answers to the same questions as optical astronomers, they
have another goal.
“Radio astronomers have another question too: what about ET?’’ he
said. “Are there other civilisations out there that are possibly detectable.
Lots of radio telescopes are monitoring all the time, listening for
repetitive signals that might indicate life in the universe.’’
SKA, however, will be fifty times more sensitive than any current
instrument and it will be the largest radio telescope in the world; in
fact, in Crosby’s own words, “it will be the largest scientific instrument
on the planet.’’
The telescope will be made up of thousands of dishes and antennae
for receiving radio frequencies. These will make up a total collecting
area of one square kilometre, spread over a diameter of some 3,000
square kilometres from a central core. It is estimated that the data
continuously coming out of the receivers will be the equivalent of the
internet traffic of the western world.
More than 90 organisations are collaborating on this international
project and the telescope will be sited in a remote region of either
South Africa or Western Australia.
Site selection will be in 2012 when a costed design should also be
completed and when construction should start, to be finished around
2018. Construction will cost 1.5bn euro and operating costs will be
150m euro a year.
The potential benefits to UK businesses from the project were
emphasised by Professor Peter Wilkinson of the Jodrell Bank Centre for
Astrophysics, University of Manchester.
He said: “My message at the beginning is that we did originate this
idea and we can take a leading role in this big project. But, since this
technology is new, we do need a very close technical collaboration with
industry and we would like to become an exemplar of how science and
industry can work together so money from pure science can develop
technology in collaboration with industry. That technology can then be
spun out into lots of other areas.’’
He outlined some of the driving technologies that will be required
including broadband antenna arrays, RF amplifiers optimised for low
noise and RFI robustness and ultra fast digital signal processing.
He added: “Fundamentally it’s a piece of communications equipment,
but on a massive scale and with requirements which are really very
stringent and therefore very exciting, but, if and when developed, they
are so obviously commercial.’’
The presentation was concluded by Professor Ray Sharples, director
of Durham University’s Centre for Advanced Instrumentation.
He described the work and facilities of the Centre, which has sites
in Durham and at NETPark and has a staff of nearly 50, including
instrument scientists, engineers and project managers.
He explained how, over the past 20 years it has diversified so that
its activities now include applied optics and photonics, precision
engineering and metrology, testing and qualification of new equipment
and technologies for bioimaging. It has developed instrumentation for
ground and space based telescopes and has been involved with the
successor to Hubble, the James Webb Telescope.
He said: “We can take an instrument basically all the way from the
cradle to grave: design it, manufacture it, do the metrology on it, systems
integration testing of it and do the environmental testing qualification.’’
05
EUROPEAN TRADE MARKS:
44% FEE REDUCTION
A Community Trade Mark protects your brand name or In addition to trade mark searching and registration, Hargreaves
company logo in all twenty seven countries of the European Elsworth also offers a watching service to help trade mark owners
Union, via a single application. police their brands.

In a bid to help smaller companies protect their brands, The
European Community Trade Marks Registry has announced a
massive 44% reduction in fees.
The Registry is based in Alicante, at the Office for Harmonisation
in the Internal Market (OHIM). In a recent press release, OHIM’s
president stated,
Hargreaves Elsworth Patent Attorneys was established in 2002 and
provides advice on intellectual property matters to a wide range of
clients, from its offices in Charlotte Square, Newcastle. For more
information please contact Dominic Elsworth (Head of Practice) on
0191 211 1974.

“At a time of global recession, cutting the cost of protecting

intellectual property rights should be a significant help. For a small
company, protecting your trade mark at the Community level,
protects your future right to have free access to the single European
market for your goods and services. For larger companies it is an
essential tool for doing business internationally”.

As of 1st May this year, anyone applying electronically to register

a Community Trade Mark pays only Registry fees of 900 euro -
significantly less than the previous 1600 euro fee.

The fee reduction means that the Registry fee for a trade mark in
three classes of goods or services, in all twenty seven EU countries,
is only around £500 more than it costs for a UK only trade mark.

As well as the fee reduction, the Registry has simplified the procedure
for obtaining a Community Trade Mark, essentially by setting the
registration fee to zero, so that only an application fee is payable
and the processing time becomes much shorter.

Since litigation over ownership of brand names can be extremely

costly, searching for earlier marks and registering trade names is
important to protect market share and avoid future problems.
LOW CARBON VEHICLES AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF SUNDERLAND
The Department of Computing, Engineering and Technology
at the University of Sunderland and AMAP (the University’s
Institute of Automotive and Manufacturing Advanced Practice)
have committed themselves to preparing students and industry
for the forthcoming Low Carbon Vehicle revolution. In order
to achieve this they have embarked upon an ambitious R&D
agenda and are developing the UK’s first MSc in Low Carbon
Vehicle Technologies to be launched in April 2010.
Projects
AMAP has developed at very low cost the HyPower Almera. This
hydrogen conversion of a standard petrol powered, Nissan Almera
has allowed AMAP to showcase a low cost conversion that reduces
the carbon footprint of an internal combustion engine. The car was
unveiled at the Partners4Automotive 2008 conference hosted by the
University of Sunderland. Since then, the vehicle has been used to
develop skills and knowledge regarding hydrogen storage and its use
in internal combustion engines.
The car regularly appears at conferences and is used as an aid to
explaining the low carbon economy to school children as well as
having a more serious research and development role.
AMAP also runs the ECO2Trans project, funded by One North East.
This ambitious project will convert two conventional battery powered
electric buses into fuel cell powered vehicles using a mixture of home
grown and internationally sourced technologies. Along with regional
industrial partners AMAP will develop demonstration, training and
skills development vehicles. The vehicles will act as rolling test beds
for regional technologies and as learning resources for skills based
courses and academic programmes. Thus these modest vehicles will
be transformed both aesthetically and technologically.
AMAP also plans to continue to develop mass transit solutions by
developing alternative energy storage systems for electric vehicles along
with the development of off grid charging points to reduce the load on
the grid. In addition, AMAP has been investigating the effect of using
low cost/high efficiency gear boxes on a range of electric vehicles.
The HybriDrive project has resulted in a substantial amount of new
knowledge that has encouraged regional manufacturers to investigate
the development of such systems. To this end they have a number of
international partnerships in place specifically with Chinese companies
and US R&D organisations. This will in turn widen the number of
regional industrial collaborators and so spread the knowledge and
skills amongst the regional industrial base.
Academic Programmes
AMAP and the Department of Computing, Engineering and Technology
will launch their groundbreaking MSc in Low Carbon Vehicle
Technologies in April 2010. This programme is aimed at assisting
the current engineering resource of companies involved in low
carbon transport to develop and enhance their skills and knowledge
in preparation for the new technologies that are emerging within
this exciting field. The programme will be available to any suitably
qualified person and will be work-based in nature. This means that
the programme will combine the flexibility of part time study with real
world application and will significantly enhance the knowledge base in
this area within the region.
Following on from this innovation, the university is in discussions with
SEMTA, a range of industrial partners and regional FE Colleges to scope
and develop training and academic programmes from Foundation
to Bachelor’s degrees in this and associated areas. In essence, the
University will be developing a range of academic programmes which
provide a progression pathway for individuals in the region to develop
their skills and knowledge in an area which is central to the ongoing
development of the region’s manufacturing base.
www.sunderland.ac.uk
09
 COMPANY KEEPS ITS COOL
TO SECURE GRANT
A thermal management and electronics cooling solutions Jim Yates, Managing Director, said the expansion of his firm was
company is proving that regional firms can beat the recession proof that regional manufacturing companies can grow and ensure
by creating new jobs. work remains in the North East rather than be transferred overseas.

Thermacore Europe Ltd (TEL) has announced plans to increase its He said: “This grant will enable us to increase our capacity and
export sales by introducing machinery to enable semi-automated improve the manufacture of our products, allowing us to target
processing to be carried out. future growth within the electronics cooling market.

With the expansion, made possible with a £125,000 Grant for “It comes on the back of several years of continued growth from
Business Investment (GBI) from regional development agency One our Ashington base and will really help the cause for manufacturing
North East, the Ashington-based company expects to create up to locally. We’re proof that despite the tough conditions, local firms
20 new full-time jobs. can not only survive but grow as well.”

From L-R: John Broadbent from Thermacore,

Maxine Horth from One North East and
Nikki Morgan of Thermacore, at the company‘s premises
Thermacore, which occupies a 25,000 sq ft factory at Wansbeck
Business Park, is a world-leader in thermal management and
electronic cooling solutions.
Its customer base is blue chip manufacturers of electronics
equipment in the telecommunications, military, medical and
aerospace industries.
It also has a successful and increasing export customer portfolio,
with clients in the US, Asia and Europe and currently employs 56 full
time and four part time staff.
Ken Samson, Business Finance Manager at One North East, said:
“Thermacore has its roots firmly in the region and at a time when so
many businesses are being affected by the tough market conditions,
I am delighted to see it is undertaking major expansion plans.
“Twenty new jobs is a welcome boost at any time. But given the
current climate, when companies up and down the country are
fighting for their lives, this is proof that regional firms have what it
takes to not only survive but actually build for their futures.”
www.thermacore-europe.com
11
 WORK AIMS TO
IMPROVE GENERATION
OF RENEWABLE ENERGY
Research at Northumbria University could lead to significant
improvements in providing renewable energy to consumers
and the National Grid.
The university has opened a laboratory which is directly linked to
renewable energy being produced at its City Centre campus in
Newcastle.
University managers say the laboratory will allow them to analyse the
way such energy is produced as part of efforts to increase efficiency.
Dr Ghanim Putrus, Reader in Electrical Power Engineering at the
School of Computing, Engineering and Information Sciences, said:
“We have installed new wind turbines and photovoltaic systems on
Dr Ghanim Putrus, Professor Peter Strike and
Professor Alistair Sambell in the laboratory
campus and these are currently harnessing wind and solar energy
which is being channelled directly into the National Grid.
“They are providing the University with a valuable source of energy
and we hope in the future to install further green systems to make
a significant contribution towards the University’s own energy
consumption.
“One of the most exciting aspects of our new laboratory is the
opportunity for us to undertake groundbreaking research into new
technologies for sustainable electrical power generation, including
the quality and cost effectiveness of the power being generated,
which could ultimately lead to solutions to the problems of harvesting
energy in the future.”
Researchers at the University are working with companies and
organisations in the region, including the New and Renewable
Energy Centre in Blyth, in a collaboration which they believe will
inform decisions taken by energy policy makers.
Dr Putrus said: “We are currently looking at how we can make wind
turbines and photovoltaic systems generate more power from the
available wind and sun energy and how this can be harnessed for
wider consumption.
“One of the challenges facing the grid operators and the renewable
energy industry is to look at how we can harness excess energy
available from distributed energy generation systems and feed that
back into the National Grid, whilst still maintaining the highest
quality of supply standards.”
The laboratory is equipped with equipment including computerised
test rigs, a photovoltaic test rig and measurement and analysis
equipment.
Professor Peter Strike, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and
Innovation) at Northumbria, said: “This state-of-the-art laboratory
will provide outstanding facilities to support research and teaching
and will contribute to the development of new technologies in the
region.”
www.northumbria.ac.uk
13
CREATING THE FUTURE…
EXPERTISE AND APPLICATION
Research, creativity and scholarship are at the heart of
Durham University, a place where generations of the
world’s finest minds have pursued ideas and knowledge
that have made a profound and lasting impact on the
world.
Throughout the University’s proud 177 year history, the pioneering
work of Durham’s academics has enhanced human life and well-
being, deepened our knowledge of the universe and everything in it,
and created new industries that diversify and strengthen our national
economy. As mentors of today’s undergraduates and postgraduates,
universities like Durham have a huge responsibility to impart intellectual
curiosity and new ideas to the next generation.
Few universities have comparable research strengths to Durham across
the Sciences, Social Sciences, and Arts and Humanities. Yet it is the
size, agility and intimacy of Durham which allows it to be interactive
enough to develop new approaches, questions and research ideas
that transcend interdisciplinary boundaries. Durham is an environment
where researchers can make a real difference, particularly in Science.
Durham was one of the first universities in the world to bring Science
into its curriculum. In 1838, the first Civil and Mining Engineering
Degree in the UK was established by Temple Chevallier. Durham had
some of the earliest scientific laboratories in the country and the science
base expanded rapidly in the 1950s. Durham University science is built
on significant international impact across the core Natural Sciences –
Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics – alongside Engineering
and Computing Sciences, Psychology and Earth Sciences.
In 2005, Durham was the most highly cited university in the UK and 18th
in the world for Science with its core strengths providing the foundation for
its growing group of world-renowned multidisciplinary research institutes.
Durham University’s science faculty has an outstanding reputation
for teaching; led by world-authorities, its teaching facilities are
linked to cutting edge research and equipment. The Faculty’s 4000
undergraduates are amongst the best qualified at entry in the country,
with almost every student achieving at least three As at A level.
See www.durham.ac.uk/research to find out more about the
expertise the University shares with the world.
Environment
Durham University leads in environmental sustainability, in both
research and the way our community lives. Not only does the University
boast a highly-regarded sustainable purchasing policy, UK Energy
Efficiency Accreditation and Fairtrade status, it also boasts a wealth
of research expertise to further knowledge and understanding of the
environment.
Durham’s research in renewables is internationally leading in several
areas. The unique facilities and expertise for plastic electronic
development at NETPark, Durham’s science park, are attracting
companies from around the world. Dr Jim Bumby in Engineering is
currently testing new designs for wind turbines in partnership with
Jordan; Professor Peter Tavner and colleagues are making important
strides in understanding wind turbine reliability; and Professor Ken
Durose leads the UK research effort on photovoltaics.
Equally significant are the efforts in social policy in relation to
acceptability of renewable energy led by Dr Harriett Bulkeley in
Geography. Durham University’s target is to be recognised as one
of the leading environmentally-sustainable universities within the next
five years. This involves the active commitment of every member of our
University community, led by the Dean for Environmental Sustainability,
Professor Tim Burt. An ‘energy champion’ in every department and
college ensures that everyone takes energy use seriously. Our objective
is to make significant savings in electricity and gas use in the coming
years by raising awareness of the cost of utilities, both environmental
and financial.
The University’s pioneering new institute – Durham Energy Institute
(DEI) - harnesses interdisciplinary expertise from Anthropology
to Physics to cover the spectrum of energy research. The Durham
Energy Institute will first and foremost tackle the societal aspects of
energy use. This is increasingly being recognised as an important
aspect of energy research that has previously been overlooked. The
Institute will draw upon its existing considerable knowledge base,
skills and expertise to:-
n promote technical scientific excellence
n solve technological and social problems associated with energy
provision, demand and use
n establish itself as an internationally leading institution
n become one of the leading internationally recognised centres for
energy science and society
The ultimate goal being to initiate the behavioural step change
required for society to realise a low carbon future.
See www.durham.ac.uk/dei for more information and to contact
the DEI team.
Enterprise and economic support
Durham University has long been a centre for innovation and
entrepreneurial activity. We foster a climate in which ideas and
intellectual property generated from our research are used to full
advantage for the benefit of society, enhancing both well-being and
economic development across the community and the world. Our
graduates are of high intellectual and innovative ability and make
major impacts in a wide range of work places and throughout society.
An important component of our research is long term collaboration
with world-class companies, wherever they are based.
Our Technology Transfer Office leads in commercialising research
outputs, through licensing, large research contracts, and establishing
partnerships and spin-out companies, including at the North East
Technology Park (NETPark), County Durham.
See www.durham.ac.uk/technology transfer for more information.
The innovative exchange programme between Durham University and
regional industry is pointing a way forward for North East businesses
to buck the economic downturn.
Durham University’s Industrial Bridging Fellowship Scheme (DIBF)
has engaged businesses across the region since its launch in May
2009. The scheme’s first fellowship award was made to an employee
of Classic Solutions Engineering of Langley Park in Durham, which
specialises in the design and manufacture (reverse engineering) of
electro/mechanical components for classic vehicles. This employee
will now undertake the University’s MSc in Design, Manufacture
and Management, bringing industry knowledge to the academic
community and taking academic knowledge back to the employer.
The scheme focuses primarily on process industries, energy and
health but is available to any company from any sector and targets
employees in the North East who are on short-time / reduced hours
working, or are at risk of redundancy or have recently been made
redundant.
Companies and individuals interested in the scheme should contact the
Durham University Business Development Team on 0191 334 4647
15
Kevin Hawkes, Commercial Operations Manager (kneeling), and John Stanbridge,
Landfill Manager at Premier Waste Management, taken at Heighington Lane
Waste Transfer Station. John Stanbridge is also in the close up shot.
ADDRESSING THE
GYPSUM PROBLEM
A North East company has solved one of the most troublesome
problems in the world of sustainable waste disposal.
Environment Agency guidelines which came into force in April mean
that all gypsum waste that cannot be recycled has to be placed within
a separate landfill cell, segregated from biodegradable waste.
Gypsum waste includes plasterboard and other building materials
used in the construction industry, as well as by householders and
other businesses, and the guidelines means industry has to recycle
more of the one million tonnes of waste plasterboard generated in
the UK every year.
County Durham-based Premier Waste Management has taken steps to
recycle all the gypsum waste it handles to meet the Agency’s demands,
which were introduced because of concerns that the waste could emit
the toxic gas hydrogen sulphide when biodegrading in landfill.
The company has implemented new systems to collect all gypsum-
based waste for recycling: gypsum recycling is becoming a key
source of raw materials for plasterboard plants.
Kevin Hawkes, Premier’s Commercial Operations Manager, said:
“Diverting gypsum based waste from landfill for recycling is a vital
step forward. Not only is it significantly reducing toxic gas emissions
but it is re-using a vital resource.”
Premier is working towards recycling all types of waste for businesses
and homes across the North East.
The company recently capped and restored one of its landfills, which
ceased receiving waste in 2007.
Premier installed a network of gas pipes, which will power up to
4,000 homes in the North East by turning the methane gas generated
by the site into renewable electricity.
www.premierwaste.com
17
I N N O V AT I O N C O N N E C TO R S
More than £1bn worth of new projects were
announced for North East England this summer
in areas including biofuels, wave power, electric
vehicles, printable electronics and industrial
biotechnology.
This has not happened by chance. Regional
Development Agency One North East recognised
some years ago that the region is home to some world-
leading research and development, and set about
channelling that into new industries and new jobs.
These new industries are now set to transform the
economies and landscapes of cities and regions
around the world - and North East England is in a
very strong position to reap the benefits.
The rapidly-emerging low-carbon economy is
already drawing major new investment to the
region, along with a host of ‘green-collar’ jobs.
Combined with the knowledge-based economy
and the digital sector, new opportunities are being
presented by the day.
Over the past seven years, One North East has been
leading a unique approach to harnessing these new
ideas. The Agency singled out specialist areas in
which the region already excelled and which had
potential for major job-creation, including scientific
research, renewable energy, process industries,
printable electronics, and healthcare.
One North East then established geographical
centres that could provide a physical link between
R&D and manufacturing.
You may not know these as Innovation Connectors –
but you’ll certainly be aware of their world-leading
work – and in recent months this work has exploded
into the headlines.
The Innovation Connectors are:
n Newcastle Science City
n The New and Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth
n The Northern Design Centre in Gateshead
n Digital City in Middlesbrough
n The Wilton Centre in Redcar
n Sunderland Software City
n North East Technology Park in Sedgefield County
Durham
The aim of each of these is to accelerate investment
in science and the growth of their respective fields
and, at the same time, to boost the regeneration of
their local areas.
They also align public, private, academic and
voluntary sector funds and resources to support
these growing sectors.
The result is that activities such as physical
infrastructure, business development, enterprise,
skills and community engagement happen in a
coordinated way in a particular geographic area.
One North East has now been investing in these
centres for years, and 2009 has presented major
opportunities which the Innovation Connectors
have helped the region to win.
The New and Renewable Energy Centre (NaREC),
which is already developing the wind turbines of
tomorrow, was given £10m to develop new wave
and tidal facilities as part of a national network for
this emerging technology.
NaREC will also play a major role in developing
electric vehicles in the region, especially since
Nissan announced Sunderland would be the home
of its £200m European Mother Plant for electric
battery production.
Other major renewable projects for the region
include two £400m biomass plants which have
been announced by MGT Power, for Teesport and
for the Port of Tyne.
A £20m expansion of the Printable Electronics
Technology Centre (PETEC) at NETPark was announced
in July, aimed at stimulating the creation of 250 jobs
in the North East and up to 1,500 jobs nationally.
New £12m industrial biotechnology facilities have
also been announced for the vital Wilton site in the
Tees Valley, which will be the best of their kind in
the country.
At Software City, the University of Sunderland and
One North East have launched a £3.5m search for
the UK’s best graduates to help create a world-leading
science and computing industry in the region.
And this summer creative renaissance in the Tees Valley
officially arrived, following the unveiling of the £10m
Boho One digital enterprise centre in Middlesbrough.
The building is the headquarters of DigitalCity
Business and will eventually house 27 high-value
businesses and create 283 jobs whilst supporting the
regeneration of a key site between Middlesbrough
Town Centre and Middlehaven.
One North East is incredibly proud of the long-term
strategy which have led us to these new investments,
but at the same time recognises the region is not alone
in looking for these new industries and opportunities.
The challenge now is for us to grab them.
SUNDERLAND SOFTWARE CITY
The University of Sunderland is one of the key partners in
the Sunderland Software City (SSC) project. The vision for
Sunderland Software City is to inspire and encourage the
growth of the software industry in the region and to make the
area an attractive location of choice for software businesses.
The project brings together partners from the private, public
and education sectors who each bring their unique experience
and expertise which, when combined, will form a powerful
driving force for economic growth.

Working with Sunderland City Council, Codeworks Connect and
the Business and Innovation Centre, the University will develop an
infrastructure providing both world-class business accommodation
and communications connectivity fulfilling the growing demands of
the industry.
Sunderland Software City will deliver the following:
Enterprise Stimulation
A key delivery objective from the University is to stimulate graduate
enterprise through the “Software Hatchery” based at the University’s
St Peter’s campus, where students can study for an MSc in Software
Enterprise with bursaries of £12,000 for students. The Hatchery is
fully equipped to support fledgling software businesses including
access to a broad range of software platforms and provides a
physical environment for students to develop their business ideas.

Industrial and business partners will work with the University to provide
mentoring support for students and businesses. These partners
will also support an annual programme of enterprise seminars to
stimulate software enterprise and to develop products, ideas and
concepts.

Knowledge Transfer & Product Development
The SSC project forms part of the wider University programme of
business support, centred around the new Business Gateway facility
at the City Centre Campus, staffed by a dedicated team of Business
Development Managers. The University’s Business Engagement
Strategy recognises the positive impact of working with private sector
partners through a range of services which enhance the academic
experience of our students and graduates. SSC is seen as an important
vehicle for establishing the University’s business support capacity in
partnership with other support agencies in order to convert ideas into
marketable software products, whilst utilising available support from
Government around R&D grants and knowledge transfer platforms.

Research & Development
The SSC objective in research and development is to encourage
companies in the region to undertake collaborative R&D to develop
new technologies and concepts. The university will provide expertise &
access to Intellectual Property (IP) generated through the University’s
R&D activities and International partnerships. Sunderland is recognised
as one of the leading post-1992 universities in the UK for the overall
quality of its research activity (Research Assessment Exercise 2008).
Building on a strong tradition of applied research, the university will
support a programme of activity to stimulate and identify opportunities
to work with the region’s software companies in developing new
software products and services.

Education
The Education strand will develop a skilled workforce for the software
industry in the city and region, by developing and delivering Higher
Education programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate level
which are specifically designed to meet the skills needs of employers.
This will involve the development of a new portfolio of undergraduate
and postgraduate programmes supported by a range of Sunderland
Software City/One North East bursaries to attract the very best students
to the region. These bursaries, available from the University cover
three discrete areas:
n Postgraduate Bursaries for full-time students – who have achieved
a 2:1 or above in their first degree - to undertake a range of
software related MSc programmes. Thirty bursaries have been
awarded this year. A new round commenced in early September,
n Undergraduate Bursaries for full time students - who have met
an enhanced entry requirement - to undertake a range of computer-
based degree programmes. Fifteen bursaries have been awarded this
year. A new round commenced in early September,,
n Placement Bursaries – to encourage existing undergraduate
students to undertake a placement with regional software related
organisations.
Finally, in relation to 14-19 activity, the University will develop a specialist
programme to promote software opportunities, provide specialist
diplomas and support a 6th form academy programme to ensure skilled
students are available to support the growing needs of the sector.
 or further information please contact the SSC Business Development
F
team on 0191 515 3555 www.sunderland.ac.uk
01
2 9
NETWORK LAUNCHED TO HELP
DEVELOP NEW PRODUCTS
Over 200 delegates and well known names such as Wayne
Hemingway MBE, Berghaus, Procter & Gamble and GT Group
have backed Design Network North.
Launched in March at the Open University building next to the site of
a proposed Northern Design Centre, the network will help companies
looking to profit from the design of new products and services.
Based at RTC North in Sunderland, until the construction of a design
centre at the heart of Gateshead’s Baltic Business Quarter, the network
has already started work on a host of projects with local companies.
A focal point for North East design and innovation, the network will
provide project management support to companies with new product
ideas and broker in the best sources of support from the region’s
design community.
Design Network North will also support opportunities for collaborative
working, knowledge exchange, advice and funding for approved
design work.
The aim is to improve regional companies’ ability to utilise high-quality
design, skills and processes to deliver high return on investment,
improved competitiveness, and to increase the contribution of design
to the wealth of the region.
Funded by One North East and the European Regional Development
Fund, the network will be co-ordinated by RTC North and supported
by Knowledge House and the universities of Newcastle, Northumbria
and Teesside.
Speaking at the launch, designer Wayne Hemingway MBE, said:
“Right now there is nothing more apt than the North East having
a Northern Design Centre. Times of recession are also times of
opportunity for people who think creatively about the way we live and
how we improve our quality of life.
“Design is more than adding some surface appeal to a product. It is
much deeper than that. It’s about understanding and capitalising on
the changing values in society and how we live our lives.
“And there is no more appropriate a place than Gateshead to do this.
It was once the poor relation to this area and people tended to think of
Gateshead as the wrong side of tracks, but look at it now. Look what
creativity and design has done. Gateshead is now the creative south
bank and Newcastle Gateshead has become an international brand.
“My call to arms is that we make the centre a hub of creativity open to
all and a catalyst for design becoming inherent in the way we create
new products and improve the places in which we live.”
Ross McPhie, head of design for Berghaus, said:
“Berghaus has been successful designing from the North, and a
network that we can tap into so we don’t have to go to London for
help can only add value to my company and I fully support Design
Network North”
“It is desperately needed and is a big step for the region in encouraging
businesses and design talent to stay in the North East.
“I am used to working in New York and London, where networks are
on your doorstep and it is easy to get help.
“Here, that help is not as readily available. The biggest problem I have
is to get a designer to leave London. There is still a perception problem
associated with the region and through a network like this we can start
showcasing what is great about being a designer in the North.
“Recruitment agents tell me time and again, that designers on their
books actually graduated from Newcastle. I am hoping that through
something like this, and design schools being a little bit more
connected, there will be feedback into local companies so that talent
trained in the North, stays in the North.”
Professor Roy Sandbach, Research Fellow at Procter & Gamble, said:
“Procter & Gamble is an 80 billion dollar business operating in different
divisions. We use a whole variety of different networks to satisfy our
need for leading edge product development.
“In 2002, we embarked on a strategy of open innovation, in which we
committed to sourcing at least 50% of new product and technology
innovations from outside the company. Our ‘Connect & Develop’
programme has already signed over 1000 active agreements, many
with SMEs. It’s through networks like Design Network North that this
can be made possible.
“Innovation is a networking business. It’s about connecting ideas and
connecting problems with solutions. It’s great that a network should be
created here in the North East for design.”
Geoff Turnbull, Group Chairman of GT Group, said:
“We started our journey in 1973 as a small family run sub-contract
engineering company based in the North East of England. Today,
still a family run organisation, we design, develop and manufacture
exhaust gas control valves reducing emissions on heavy to medium
duty vehicles supplying blue chip clients worldwide.
“As in many organisations the economic downturn has not left us
unscathed, however, we are ambitious about the future. We have
committed contracts from many of our major clients and through
product innovation, design and development we are confident about
the company’s futures growth.
“It’s been a long journey with many trials and tribulations and I hope
networks like this can help other companies overcome some of the
hurdles we have encountered on our own.
“We are going to have a great network run by a very good organisation
in a fantastic building. It’s going to be a massive boost for the North
East of England. I’d like to say well done to One North East, RTC
North and congratulations to Gateshead.”
Malcolm Page, Deputy Chief Executive of One North East, said:
“The Northern Design Centre will be a flagship, state-of-the-art facility
for business development focused on the use of design, innovation
and product development. We know that for this region to realise its
full capabilities, businesses across all sectors must embrace design
and the benefits it can bring.
“Research found that the North East wasn’t using design as a way
of generating business growth in the way that many of its regional
counterparts were, and this was the catalyst for us to pursue the potential
development of a central facility which would enable us to do this.”
Access for designers and businesses in the North East to a number
of national programmes, including the Design Council’s ‘Designing
Demand’ and ‘Public Services by Design’, will be enhanced through
strengthened regional relationships.
David Godber, Deputy Chief Executive of the Design Council, said:
“The North East is one of the most dynamic regions when it comes
to strategically promoting design and its benefits in creating better
businesses and more sustainable, creative communities. The Design
Council is delighted to be a partner in Design Network North and we
look forward to helping it grow and thrive”.
The Design Network North project will benefit from £857,396
of European Union investment from the ERDF Competitiveness
Programme 2007-13, managed by regional development agency
One North East.
The ERDF programme is bringing over £250m into the North East
to support innovation, enterprise and business support across the
region.
www.designnetworknorth.org
23
INTRODUCTION TO
DIGITALCITY BUSINESS
DigitalCity Business is the Business Growth & Development Innovation - we will work with and partner with companies looking
arm of the DigitalCity initiative based on Teesside. We are a to innovate in the field of ‘digital technologies’ specifically in the
commercially driven organisation focused on business growth application of digital across ‘non digital’ industries, such as, renewable
and acceleration. energy, life sciences and the process industries.
We can help you with... Investment Attraction - we encourage businesses to relocate or
expand in the North East and provide them with a comprehensive
Business Development and Sales - we will work with digital
soft-landing approach, including market entry strategy research,
companies on a commercial basis to provide development and sales
business development strategy and sales planning as well as the
opportunities including the provision of an interim sales director,
physical requirements of office space and people.
telemarketing services and targeted business sales activity.
Boho One - the premier building for digital media and technology
Routes to finance and routes to market - working with regional,
companies in the North East, opened in July 2009. It is the first
national and international business and financing partners we look
building in a wider public/ private development that will cater for
to establish partnerships that accelerate business growth and market
the business needs of digital media technology community within the
penetration.
Tees Valley.
Internationalisation - through our strategic partnerships in
Everything we do is geared to making the North East the best place
Asia, North America and Europe we are able to work with digital
to develop your digital media, digital technology or creative business.
companies to exploit and distribute their digital technologies to key
Whether you’re an entrepreneur with a business idea, an established
international markets.
business looking to expand, a start up, one that’s looking to relocate
Business Education for Growth - we help businesses start up or an organization needing product development or finance, we’d
and grow with a radical, effective approach to incubation and love to work with you.
acceleration. Including Business Growth Workshops, Business
Email: enquiries@dcbusiness.eu
Networking & Business Mentors that are still active and successful
Phone: 01642 248 692
in the industry.
www.dcbusiness.eu

INTERNATIONAL REACH:
DC ARROWS
dcarrows is a digital media and digital technology based export n Distribution and reselling deals
agency specializing in the growth, exploitation and distribution n Licensing and technology transfer deals
of products, technologies and innovations between the EU and n Research and development collaboration agreements
Asian markets. We help companies to establish, develop and
dcarrows is your active business partner. We are not a consultancy
maintain real commercial opportunities for their technologies
and we are only ever paid on results. Crucially, we are only paid when
in the Japanese and UK markets.
you are paid - if we don’t create real and identifiable commercial
dcarrows is a strategic business alliance between DigitalCity Business successes for you we do not take a fee. We can afford to do this
of the UK and Interarrows Inc of Japan. Both of which are focused on, because we only choose the best and most appropriate technologies
and excel at, the successful identification, development and growth of for each territory. If we work with you, it is because we can see a
new and innovative products and technologies within each respective genuine opportunity for you.
territory.
Email: info@dcarrows.eu
The partnership allows us to expand and exploit your technologies Phone: 01642 248 692
across new and lucrative territories in the UK or Japan.
www.dcarrows.eu
This is achieved principally by actively seeking out and creating
opportunities to exploit and sell your digital products, technologies
and innovations, through:
BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS:
BLUE RUNNER SOLUTIONS
BlueRunner Solutions is a Software Company that develops and
delivers close-community digital payment systems. BlueRunner
offers cashless payment solutions that reduce costs, increase the
profitability and the uptake of paid-for services. The efficiency
gains from BlueRunner Solutions products increase customer
retention, loyalty and satisfaction.
BlueRunner Solutions also offer the most up to date Gift and
Loyalty Card solutions available in the market place. They are able
to improve the management of revenue centres and delivery of
service through an integrated loyalty and reward system utilizing
existing cards or implementing a bespoke system for the client. The
focus of the solution is for the cardholder experience to be one of
convenience and service.
BlueRunner Solutions also can enable existing ID cards and hardware
to become multi-functional. By adding BlueRunner Solutions
software to existing hardware ID, cards can become ‘smart’, acting
as pre-paid cash cards for the close-community services such as
catering and vending machine facilities, car parking and other
onsite services, while maintaining their functions as access and ID
cards.
BlueRunner Solutions deliver immediate benefits, fast ROI, and
provide a platform for future innovations and requirements.
BUSINESS ACCOMMODATION:
BOHO ONE
Boho One is the flagship building of the Boho Zone, Teesside’s
Digital Media Business hub. The building comprises of 27
unique office spaces built to the highest technological and
environmental specification required for digital businesses.
In addition to the high quality office spaces available at Boho One
the building contains unique infrastructure assets that are available
for hire;
n Render Farm Facility for rendering games and animation graphics
produced on both PC & Mac systems
n Northern Net Super Fast Broadband linking Boho One to
twenty other Digital Media Business Centres and around 350
digital companies
The building is already home to a number of digital media technology
companies working in the areas of;
n Audio visual effects
n Computer Games Development
BlueRunner Solutions, headquartered in London, has entered into
a business growth partnership with DigitalCity Business, whereby
DigitalCity Business is a licensed reseller of BlueRunner Solutions
for the North of the UK and certain strategic target sectors on a
nationwide basis.
DigitalCity Business has established strategic sales plan, dedicated
telemarketing capacity and face-to-face sales representatives in
order to achieve the targets of this plan.
‘DigitalCity Business was able to demonstrate a clear understanding
of our technology and product offering from the very first meeting,
this was combined with a determined focus to drive business growth
through sales and this is what appealed to us at BlueRunner Solutions.
As the relationship is based on clearly defined commercial goals, risks
and rewards everyone knows where they stand and what they have
to do, it is simple, focused and just what business needs. We see this
as the first step in a long-term business relationship with DigitalCity
Business’ Chris Schroeder, CEO of BlueRunner Solutions
Email: peter.noble@dcbusiness.eu
Phone: 01642 211 617
www.bluerunnersolutions.com
n Film & Music making
n Mobile Phone Technology & Entertainment
n Panoramic Photography
n 3D Visualization
n Web Technologies, Software and Interface Design
Boho One also has in-house catering and conferencing facilities and
a range of meeting and conference rooms with audio-visual and
presentation equipment. Boho One is the ideal venue for business
meetings, team away-days and larger conferences and seminars.
The Boho One concourse is available for larger events out of office
hours.
If you would like to enquire about renting office space in Boho
One, working with a DigitalCity Business Cluster Company or
hosting an event, seminar or meeting at Boho One please contact
Charlotte Allen, Operations Manager on 01642 248 692 or email
charlotte.allen@dcbusiness.eu
25
 SUCCESS IN THE PIPELINE
FOR COMPANIES
A North East specialist recruitment company has defied talk of
recession by posting its best ever half-year figures, doubling
its performance on the same period last year.
T echConsult UK, based at The Wilton Centre near Redcar, Teesside,
operates within the offshore, fabrication and maintenance, process,
shipbuilding and civil engineering industries.
The company recorded a turnover of £1.4m in the half year ending
in July, double the previous year figure. Gross profit in the same
period went up 60 per cent.
The figures mean that the company’s turnover is on target to hit
£2.5-3m by the end of the year, up from the £2m recorded in its
previous financial year, which was itself a record for the company.
TechConsult UK managing director Steve Guest said: “It is well
documented that the sectors in which we work have experienced
difficult times but in the past six months our turnover doubled, with
gross profit following a similar upward trend.
“There has been a lot of talk of recession but some of the sectors in
which we are working are buoyant and we are looking forward to
the next few months with a renewed sense of confidence.”
Steve Guest, right, with Willy Watson, chief
executive of Pipeline Engineering Limited
The company provides clients with engineers, technicians, project
managers and administration personnel, many of them from the
North East of England. Sectors that have done particularly well for
TechConsult UK are subsea and associated industries.
Another successful project was with Pipeline Engineering of Catterick
Bridge, North Yorkshire, providing expert engineers to work on a
£3m contract as part of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, which links
Russia and the European Union via the Baltic Sea.
Mr Guest said: “This year has gone very well for us and one of the
reasons is that in difficult economic times, companies realise that
they need the very best people to get them through.
“The people we are providing to our clients are very experienced
and skilled and our customers appreciate that.”
The Wilton Centre operation is part of the Norwegian-based
TechConsult Group, whose offices are in Bergen, Oslo and
Stavanger, Norway.
www.techconsult-uk.com
 
29
CREATING A WORLD
CLASS WORKFORCE
The past eighteen months have witnessed the emergence
of a very different economic landscape to that of January
2008, when the National Skills Academy Process Industries
was officially handed the skills baton for the UK process
industries.
The problems faced by many large players in the industry, such as
Artenius and Le Seda, as well as the concerns for new graduates hoping
to join the sector, and the worries of the thousands of young people
currently on apprenticeship programmes, show that no business is
immune from the effects of the recession. Although it has undoubtedly
hit the process industries as much as any other sector, with the right
staff and a proper level of investment in skills, the sector can look
forward to a very bright future.
The National Skills Academy Process Industries is part of an 11-strong
network of academies, established in response to the Leitch report
on skills, which highlighted several key sectors where the skills profile
required urgent attention.
From its new headquarters in Darlington, and supported by five
regional delivery arms with several more in the planning, the Academy
works with employers, training providers and influencers to identify
and address skills gaps through a range of practical, fit for purpose
products and services.
These include the Gold Standard, a national framework for continuous
professional development setting out the skills required for world
class performance in key job roles in the process industries; and a
national skills passport-themed product called myskillbank, a portable
record of skills and qualifications that can also be used as a training
management system.
These and other products and services are supported by an
accreditation of prior learning framework – the Assessment System for
Employer Training – which gives employers the chance to have their
existing workforce skills and training assessed against agreed national
standards.
To support employers in making good choices of skills development
partners, the Academy is creating a bank of approved specialist
providers, all of which have been through a rigorous assessment
against standards that employers themselves have set, to verify their
products, services and delivery levels.
Academy accreditation gives colleges, universities and private sector
training and development providers a visible badge of quality, giving
employers confidence that these providers can play their part in helping
to create the right skills platform to take their business forward.
In spite of the difficult economic climate, businesses are not taking
their foot off the training pedal. An ICM poll in May 2009 surveyed
over 500 employers in industries across all sectors, who agreed that,
in order to survive, skills and training are the number one priority for
their companies.
Almost three quarters of respondents (73%) agreed with the statement
that has been made by government ministers including Lord Mandelson,
Secretary of State at BIS, that ‘businesses that invest in training are less
likely to fail‛.
Perhaps most interestingly, 16% of businesses reported that they would
increase levels of training. When asked why, the three most frequently
cited responses were: more specialised/trained staff are required
(34%); the need to survive in a competitive marketplace (19%); and
the need to retain existing skilled staff (11%).
As the media start to report cautious signs of the green shoots of
recovery, it is vital that we have the right skills platform in place to take
up the opportunities that the economic upturn will bring.
To this end our lobbying for more government support continues
unabated, particularly in the area of the practical - and immediate -
support needed to help employers maintain their apprenticeship and
graduate programmes.
The need for new young recruits in the sector is becoming a ticking
timebomb. In the chemical industries, for example, the average age
of a plant operator is 55 and a supervisor 57, clearly demonstrating
the need to encourage more young people at every level to enter the
industries.
Some experts are predicting that we will need between 50-70,000
operators to replace those who will retire over the next decade, and
around half that number of graduates – and that is simply to maintain the
current size of the industries. We also need to raise skills from Levels 2
and 3 to Levels 4 and 5 if we are to create a truly worldclass workforce.
To achieve these ambitious aims we need a concerted approach from
all stakeholders - employers, providers and the public sector. At a
recent North East Regional Skills Board meeting, instead of a standard
meeting we chose instead to hold an operational workshop on ‘How
can the public sector best assist the North East process industry through
these difficult economic times?”.
The two groups, facilitated by Learning and Skills Council Director
Petrina Lynne, and One North East Director Gillian Collinson,
highlighted worries that the funding mechanisms available to the
sector were not widely understood. On the basis of this, the Skills
Academy is now aiming to work with Business Enterprise North East to
help employers and training providers understand this area in greater
detail, and benefit from all available sources of funding and support.
Nobody would deny that the future of the industries is changing. In
the industrial biotechnology sector the shift from a chemical industry
based on oil to one based on renewable and biological substances
will redefine the chemicals business in the 21st century.
Employees have to be as skilled as possible in today’s climate. This
includes having the skills that new processes such as biosciences,
biofuels, speciality and polymers demand. The future of the process
industries will rely heavily on a successful and transformational change
in processing to a new, greener way of production.
We need to make sure we are ahead of that need by training not just
for the skills we need today, but those we will need tomorrow. That
way we can ensure that our process industry is ready when increased
demand for its products and services arrives, and that we are ideally
placed to outperform the best in the world.
www.process.nsacademy.co.uk
JOIN OUR KNOWLEDGE
NETWORK NOW
With the business world the way it is, simply surviving might
seem the sole objective.
But looking forward, finding ways to develop and bring new products
to market, adopting processes that make your business leaner and
smarter, can help you not just survive the recession, but can give your
business a head start when times get better.
That’s why County Durham Development Company (CDDC), which
encourages innovation and investment on behalf of Durham County
Council, has developed NETPark Net.
NETPark Net provides a network of resources, contacts and
opportunities to support collaboration and the sharing of best practice,
and it’s accessible wherever there’s an internet connection.
With links to the research facilities of the region’s five universities,
venture capitalists, intellectual property specialists and more,
NETPark Net means that innovative companies in the North East can
learn from the best, and all from as little as £99 a year.
NETPark Net, an online community, is the virtual counterpart of one
of the region’s greatest business assets - the North East Technology
Park (NETPark) at Sedgefield.
One of the UK’s fastest-growing science and technology parks,
NETPark has created a total support environment that gives science
and technology businesses the best chance of success. It’s a hub
for the commercialisation of the region’s high-tech innovation
and provides a forum where universities and businesses can come
together to collaborate and fully exploit the commercial potential of
the region’s scientific innovation.
It’s making a major contribution to the economy of County Durham
and the North East. Now, the business benefits of NETPark are
available to innovative companies throughout the County and the
North East.
As CDDC’s managing director Stewart Watkins explains: “NETPark
Net put simply is NETPark without walls. If your company can’t come
to NETPark, NETPark can now come to you.’’
It knits together a variety of sources of information in an easily-
accessible form, whether that is access to finance, technology hunting
or expert technical advice.
Its knowledge bank offers podcasts, events, opportunities, ‘ask
an expert’, network and databases as well as university facilities.
Companies can also use NETPark Net to open a virtual NETPark
office.
The service includes workshops, drop-in clinics, tailored business
advice (including routes to market), access to finance and networks.
Over 130 companies have already registered with NETPark Net and
it has attracted significant regional support, and funding from the
Single Programme and the European Regional Development Fund.
NETPark Net is specifically designed to drive forward the knowledge
economy throughout County Durham and with an on-demand,
online platform to deliver support where and when it is needed.
At the click of a mouse, NETPark Net opens up an enormous fund of
technical knowledge and R&D to any business wanting to increase
its competitiveness through collaboration and innovation. And it’s
available for businesses in science, engineering and technology,
from pre-incubation, right through to multinationals.
NETPark Net lets you:
n Search for technology opportunities and partners for hi-tech
businesses in County Durham and the North East.
n Gain access to best practice on incubation and technology
commercialisation.
n Link to innovation networks around the world.
n Get rapid response access to specialist technology and business
intelligence for knowledge-based businesses.
nConsult a panel of experts available for member enquiries via
email or phone.
You can join this exciting, unique community quickly and simply, from
as little as £99 a year, either by:
n Calling County Durham Development Company on (0191) 370
8680 or NETPark on 01740 625180
n Emailing: netparknet@wherebusinessgrows.com
n Visiting www.uknetpark.net/netparknet and registering online.
If you provide services to the science, engineering and technology
sectors (law, marketing, finance etc.), then please contact us to find
out how you can benefit too.
So to take a big step towards greater competitiveness today, visit
www.uknetpark.net/join
31
THE COST OF
CLIMATE CHANGE
Results of a study into how climate change will impact on the
economy of North East of England will be revealed later this
autumn.
The Economic Implications of Climate Change North East Study, the
first of its kind in the UK, will look at the measures needed to adapt to
a changing climate, the cost of moving toward a low carbon economy,
and the impact of new and emerging legislation and policies.
Spearheaded by ClimateNE - The North East Climate Change
Partnership - the study has support from a number or organisations in
the region including the Association of North East Councils, Durham
County Council, One North East, Natural England, Newcastle City
Council, Northumberland County Council, Tyne and Wear City
Region and Tees Valley City Region. Paul Mooney, One North East
Chief Economist, said: “Climate change will fundamentally change
the way we live and work. ‘Business as usual’ is no longer an option.
“By providing a robust evidence base on the implications of climate
change for the North East, the study will help shape our response to
both the challenges and opportunities facing the region.”
The study also has support from Government Office North East.
Fiona Gough, Deputy Regional Director of Environment and Place,
said: “Climate change is one of Government’s top priorities.
“The North East has an excellent track record of research and
evidence gathering to help us all understand what the issues are
and what needs to be done. This study will add a great deal to that
knowledge, and help the region decide on plans and actions to let
us contribute to avoiding dangerous climate change, and cope with
the changes that are already unavoidable.”
Adrian Hilton, Regional Climate Change Coordinator, said:
“The study aims to develop our understanding of the economic
implications of climate change.”
Arup, a firm of designers, engineers, planners and business
consultants, and Cambridge Econometrics, have been commissioned
to undertake the development of the study.
www.climatenortheast.co.uk
33
CREATING NEW HORIZONS
FOR THE UK’S INDUSTRIAL
BIOTECHNOLOGY FACILITY
The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), a key driver of market-
led innovation in the UK’s processing sector, continues to push
ahead in the field of industrial biotechnology, most recently
receiving government investment and embarking on a new
Biosource programme.
Government investment
Last month the Department for Business Innovation & Skills announced
£12 million of investment in open access demonstrator facilities for
industrial biotechnology (IB) at CPI. The new BIS IB demonstrator will
enhance scale to 10,000 litre with appropriate up and downstream
capacity.
Building on the existing capabilities at the Centre including the National
Industrial Biotechnology Facility (NIBF), the demonstrator facilities will
help to identify and deliver new processes, materials and products;
and help the translation of novel ideas into tangible outputs within a
UK environment best placed to conduct innovative approaches to IB.
To date NIBF has been providing vital testing facilities for new
industrial biotechnology products and processes, but industry leaders
have indicated that facilities are required on a larger scale to ensure
the future development of industrial biotechnology in the UK.
Being able to trial new materials on a large scale will play a vital role
as the industry begins to move away from petrochemicals and into the
new low-carbon arena.
The new facilities will be tailored to support the development and
testing of the production of alcohols, biodiesel, low-volume speciality
and higher value chemicals from renewable biomass feedstocks and
through biocatalysis.
The new facilities will immediately create around 15 highly skilled
jobs, it has been estimated that the new demonstrator facilities could
directly support between 10 and 40 new jobs per annum when fully
operational.
It is planned that the new IB open access demonstrator facilities will be
fully operational by October-December 2010.
Biosource programme
CPI has also launched a new Biosource programme which will help
open new doors to companies looking to embrace the industrial
biotechnology revolution.
The new programme will see NIBF enhanced with a range of new
equipment that will bolster its capabilities in enabling customers to
replace traditional chemical processing techniques with new cleaner
and less wasteful enzyme routes.
Through its partnership with CoEBio3 the facility provides a unique
gene-to-kilo service and an integrated ‘plug and play’ design,
allowing customers across a diverse range of sectors to produce trial
quantities of products, scale-up processes and provides detailed real
time information on fermentation.
The Biosource programme will enable the installation of a range
of new facilities including; a 15L steam-in-place fermenter; a
photobioreactor and other equipment for the growth of algae; a
high speed centrifuge; and additional analytical capabilities. At pilot
scale, additions include pre-processing equipment for wet and dry
biomass and membrane and filtration equipment for down stream
processing.
Sophie Walton, business manager for the NIBF, said “Integral to
NIBF’s success to date is its adaptability in allowing a range of
businesses to test new processing concepts to ensure they are viable
before further investment. The Biosource programme will enhance
the facilities” .
CPI is currently working with a range of customers operating within
fine chemical, cosmetic, fragrance, food, marine, and fuel markets.
The centre is also working on several FP7 projects, collaborating with
partners across Europe with the aim of developing new technologies
for the greater good of European industry.
What NIBF offers?
n A wide range of fermentation capacity from 1litre fermenters
through 15, 50, 70 through to two 1000 litres.
n Online PAT to tell you exactly what’s happening within your
fermentation – as it happens.
n Unique plug and play DSP.
n New pre-processing options.
n Development labs to 10 litre scale.
n Marine fermentation capability.
n Novel bioreactor design, build and optimisation.
n Dedicated 50 litre solvent facility and integrated chemical
processing capacity.
n Consultancy services and process packages.
If you need a passionate, intelligent and flexible partner for your
scale up, who can add value through innovation, then please
contact Sophie Walton at ap-info@uk-cpi.com.
FIBRE OPTICS FIRM
CHOOSES NETPARK
A SCIENCE park which more than doubled the size of its facility
for high tech businesses is seeing strong demand for its newly
extended space.
The NETPark Incubator, at Sedgefield, County Durham, has already
signed up a new tenant after expanding the available floor space by
150% in June 2009.
The incubator is a breeding ground for young technology companies
and offers a combination of office and laboratory facilities to help
them commercialise their products.
The first company to take offices in the new 2,460 sq m extension to
the NETPark Incubator will be u2t Photonics UK, which makes highly
specialised components for fibre optic cables.
David Weddle, NETPark Incubator manager, said: “u2t is exactly the
kind of specialised advanced electronics business that NETPark was
designed for. They will find themselves in the company of similarly
groundbreaking companies operating in an environment which
is sympathetic to, and supportive of, the needs of science-based
businesses.’’
Steve Clements managing director of u2t Photonics UK added: “We
are delighted to be able to locate at NETPark because, as a small
group focussed on delivering products on a tight schedule, we want
to spend our time on the development not on establishing and
supporting our infrastructure.  energy, defence, and medical-related technologies.
“The offering from NETPark is dedicated to providing all the resources
that we need with the flexibility and support which is so important at
this stage in a company’s development.  I have been very pleased
with the care and attention to detail in getting agreement on our
facilities and impressed with the recommendations and references
we obtained from the present occupiers of the incubator.”’’
NETPark is one of the fastest growing science parks in the UK and
demand for space there has been so great the extension to the
Incubator has had to be built three years ahead of schedule. The
science park is owned by Durham County Council and managed by
the County Durham Development Company (CDDC).
Mr Weddle added: “Demand meant the original building was full
and we had to convert a lot of general purpose rooms into offices
or labs to accommodate people. The significantly expanded space
we have now allows us to attract more high tech companies to
NETPark.’’
It is understood that as many as five additional companies are at an
advanced stage of inquiries about moving to the Incubator.
The facility offers high quality laboratory facilities, such as fume
cupboards and chemical drains, along with conference and meeting
rooms and total business support, from the provision of stationery to
advice on protecting intellectual property.
It houses companies operating in the fields of microelectronics,
photonics, nanotechnology, and their application in the fields of
www.u2t.de