MW Polymers secures £200,000 innovation grant

MW Polymers, a leading manufacturer of sealants, adhesives and coatings for pipeline industries, has today announced it has won an innovation grant of over £200,000. The funding is provided by Government body Innovate UK and will support a collaborative 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. This supports areas of potential growth for the business, develops stronger industry ties for the University and allows the graduate to further their work in a specialist field.

MW Polymers has secured a £200,000 grant from Innovate UK to support new product development / Picture: MW Polymers

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 commence in 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.

Professor Topham added: “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.”

By the end of the two-year project, it is envisaged the company will have gained invaluable insight into advanced materials, built stronger ties with Aston University and Innovate UK and will have a commercially viable product ready for market. This will help MW Polymers to achieve its strategic growth plans and will strengthen its reputation as an innovator within the UK gas industry.