The School recently marked the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Polymer Processing Research Centre (PPRC) with a Research Showcase and Industry Breakfast that was held in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Polymers Association (NIPA). The event took place in the Ashby Building on 13^th Sept 2016, and featured a series of short talks highlighting the rich history and on-going development of polymer processing research at the university and beyond. Speakers were drawn from NIPA, QUB, InvestNI and the Centre for Advanced Polymer Research (CIPA) in Chile. The talks were followed by a number of industry-focussed workshops in which participants were able to experience new technologies in action. These included sessions on Industrial Troubleshooting, Rheology, Biopolymers, Water Soluble Polymers, Additive Manufacturing, and Manufacturing 4.0. The event provided a unique opportunity for networking and it was attended by over 100 delegates drawn from more than 40 industrial, governmental and academic organisations.

Over the past two decades the PPRC has led in the development of advanced technologies in polymer processing and it has established a worldwide reputation for its work. At the same time it has helped to bridge the technology transfer gap between academia and industry, and its work has ensured that Northern Ireland’s polymer processing industry and its future engineers are exposed to the very latest technologies.