News
Guest Lecture: The Advanced Materials and Processing Research Cluster look forward to a visit from Prof. Graham Cross from the CRANN Institute, Trinity College Dublin, on 28th February 2013. During the visit, Prof. Cross will tour the extensive processing and material characterisation facilities in PPRC and give a lecture on the subject of 'Polymer Deformation During Nanostructure Fabrication by Mechanical Processing' to staff and students in the School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering.
Auckland - Wednesday 17th October and Sydney - Friday 19th October
Register now to attend the Annual Industry Master Class, hosted by the Association of Rotational Moulders Australasia. Featuring Mark Kearns from Queens University of Belfast, this is a technical workshop not to be missed. Registration includes all presentations, morning & afternoon tea, lunch and drinks at the end of the day. Come and learn, network with the industry and meet your peers!
Click Here to download a registration form
Dr Paula Douglas - Research Fellow, Mr Graham Garrett - Technician
Dr Paula Douglas, Research Fellow, and Mr Graham Garrett,Technician, were recently awarded A Diploma in Packaging Technology at theCollege of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise in Loughry. Along with Mr Alan Clarke, Extrusion Manger,this brings the number of Diploma holders amongst PPRC staff to three.
The Diploma, which is internationally recognised, isvalidated by the Packaging Industry Awarding Body Company (PiABC), theprofessional body for packaging and related industries and covers all aspectsof packaging technology including design and development across a range ofmaterials (metal, glass, paper & board and plastics) as well closures,quality control and the environmental aspects of packaging.
Dr Mark McCourt Speaking at the Design and Innovation in Rotational Moulding Seminar
The Rotational Moulding Group of the British Plastics Federation hosted its annual ‘Design and Innovation in Rotational Moulding’ Seminar on the afternoon of the 30th May 2012 at the London Excel Exhibition Centre. The seminar presented a case for the versatile nature of the rotational moulding process to manufacturers, designers and suppliers.
The medium was a series of case studies helping to educate designers on what can be achieved through the rotational moulding process. These examined a variety of products including a portable hand wash system and a road traffic safety sign.
The Group was also joined by Dr. Mark McCourt of Queens University Belfast who gave a detailed overview of the industry, Dr Nick Henwood of Rotomotive Limited who spoke about the challenges and opportunities that can be achieved through different rotational moulding materials and Hans Petersen of Creactive Design who presented a case study from a designer’s perspective.
The Seminar took place at this year’s PDM exhibition which is the only dedicated design and moulding event in the UK and it is the place for plastics and design professionals to network, learn and be inspired.
Karen Drinkwater, Chair of the BPF Rotational Moulders Group said 'We have been delighted with the response to the rotational moulding seminar at PDM. The wide range of presentations given by our group members really engaged the audience and raised the profile of the rotational moulding sector with those designers present. Increasing the understanding of the process can only be beneficial to the growth of the industry as a whole.'
Jonathan Bloom, Senior Executive at the BPF stated on the day ’there is a host of information on the rotational moulding process and the Group members that can be found on the Group website http://bit.ly/Lpras5
(Left to Right) Mrs Renee Crawford, Prof. Roy Crawford, Mr Jim Bolger, Mrs Joan Bolger, Mr Mark Kearns, Dr Tony McNally
The PPRC played host to some international visitors in early April as former Director and current Vice-Chancellor of the University of Waikato, New Zealand, Prof Roy Crawford, showed University of Waikato Chancellor, Mr Jim Bolger, around the polymer research facilities on offer at Queens. Mr Jim Bolger was the Prime Minister of New Zealand for 8 years and New Zealand Ambassador to USA for 4 years.
Many Northern Ireland companies are losing out financially by not utilising the knowledge and expertise on offer in local third-level education institutions. That’s according to Dr Paul Beaney of Dungannon-based Cherry Drainage Pipes, whose turnover has trebled to £9million since first beginning work with Queen’s University.
Dr Beaney said: “Many local firms could increase their profits by an average of £270,000 and create another three jobs, through engaging with the third-level sector here in various projects.”
Cherry Pipes and Queen’s, have been engaged in various Knowledge Transfer Partnerships since 2006, and are the current holders of the UK’s Best Knowledge Transfer Partnership title, awarded by Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Dr Beaney was speaking ahead of a visit to County Tyrone today by Queen’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Peter Gregson to meet with business leaders, politicians and school principals.
As part of his visit, Professor Gregson will visit leading company Greiner Packaging Ltd. in Dungannon, accompanied by Dr Tony McNally, Director of Queen’s Polymer Processing Research Centre (PPRC). Along with Queen’s PPRC, Greiner Packaging (formerly Wilsanco) was the winner of the first national award for the Best KTP Programme in Engineering in 1997. Since then the company has continued to work alongside researchers in the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, donating equipment in excess of £100k to Queen’s, engaging in several collaborative projects and helping fund four PhD students. The company is also a member of the Founders’ Club at Queen’s Postgraduate and Executive Education Centre at Riddel Hall.
Speaking ahead of his visit, Professor Sir Peter Gregson, said: “Queen’s has a proud heritage of working with local industry, and has seen the value of working with our indigenous companies to make innovation happen. Local industry should know that it has a powerful ally in Queen’s. And likewise, we value the support given to us from industry, such as our partnership in the area of advanced materials with Greiner Packaging. By working together they are now at the forefront of their business sector and we have established Queen’s as a leading centre for thermoforming research.
“On my visit to County Tyrone today I am also looking forward to hearing from local politicians and school principals on how we can continue to best serve their community. Ensuring all our brightest students continue to have access to the world-class education on offer at Queen’s is a key commitment from the University, and key for Northern Ireland.”
Dr McNally added: “Many firms in Northern Ireland could grow their business, but don’t know how to access the appropriate knowledge, technology and expertise. Many others fear an additional cost burden in doing so. I want to urge local businesses, big and small, to contact us and other third-level colleges and see how they can work alongside us, as we are more than willing to share our knowledge and research capabilities with local industry.”
Firms wishing to enquire about accessing the expertise on offer within Queen’s should contact Mary Flynn in the University’s KTP & Business Networks Centre. Tel: 028 90 97 5444 or email m.flynn@qub.ac.uk
Queen’s is currently the lead University in the United Kingdom in terms of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) with 30 partnerships currently active. Those who engage in KTPs experience increased profits, new job creation, additional training for members of staff, and further investment in plant and machinery.
Media inquiries to Lisa McElroy, Senior Communications Officer. Tel: +44 (0)28 90 97 5384 or m0781 44 22 572 email lisa.mcelroy@qub.ac.uk
Back row from left; Bronagh Millar, Denise Price, Paul Hanna and Alan Clarke (all PPRC), Daniel Vallienne (ISPA Director of Studies) Alan Reid (NRC) Dr Laurent Cauret (ISPA Head of Research). Front Row from left: Denis Jouannet (ISPA Researcher), Clare Horner (ISPA International Development)
In January 2012, PPRC travelled to France to meet with the Institut Superieur de Plasturgie d’Alencon (ISPA) to gain an understanding of the work of the Institute and, in particular, the support provided to companies in respect of training and education including full and part time study through industrially sponsored apprenticeships. During the visit the group were shown some exemplar projects and explored opportunities for collaborative research and development.
The trip was supported by the DEL funded ConnectEd project, an initiative by Queen’s University, the University of Ulster and the six Further Education Colleges, to help businesses improve their performance by providing access to a broad portfolio of knowledge and technology support.
PPRC was joined on the trip, which included factory visits to some of ISPA’s industrial partners, by a colleague from Northern Regional College (NRC).
Dr Tony McNally, Director of Polymers Research at QUB, recently welcomed Werner Pamminger from the Kunststoff-Cluster (KC) in Austria to the PPRC to tour the facilities and meet staff.
KC is a cross-industry network of plastic companies in the states of Upper Austria, Lower Austria and Salzburg.The Cluster promotes, initiates and coordinates the cooperation of businesses, research institutes and technology transfer organisations to enhance the innovation capacity and international competitiveness of the partners.
Werner was joined on his visit to PPRC by Pat Doyle and Keith Johnston of Invest NI and Keith Smyton of the Northern Ireland Polymers Association.
