Double success at KTP National Awards

27 March 2009

Best EPSRC Funded Partnership 2009

Steve Douglas and Dave Allanson, Principal Lecturers within the School of Engineering, were joined by their St Helens-based KTP Partner organisation Delta Fluid Products Ltd and ex-KTP Associate Gareth Black to pick up the coveted ‘Best EPSRC Funded Partnership’ award.
 
Selected for the title from approximately 400 eligible programmes, this was one of only two awards made by the EPSRC grant sponsor in recognition of outstanding achievements within the field of Engineering and is a first ever Partnership Award given to an LJMU assisted project. 

This is the second time this partnership has received public endorsement from the KTP Scheme, with Gareth Black having previously won a Business Leader of Tomorrow award in 2007.

Delta Fluid Products is acknowledged as one of the UK’s leading specialists in the fields of controls, valves and fittings for fluids and gases and was recently acquired by Crane Ltd, a global supplier of complimentary products to the Building Services market. 

Pictured, l-r: Iain Gray (Chief Executive, Technology Strategy Board), Fiona Nightingale (KTP Senior Advisor), Dr Steve Douglas (Principal Lecturer, School of Engineering, LJMU), Brian Travis (Managing Director, Delta Fluid Products Limited), Gareth Black (KTP Associate, Delta Fluid Products Limited), Lord Paul (Chancellor or the Universities of Westminister and Wolverhampton), Dr Dave Allanson (Principal Lecturer, School of Engineering, LJMU), Susan Thomson (KTP Manager, LJMU), Jonathan Clegg (Product Engineering and Quality Director, Crane Ltd).

Business Leader of Tomorrow

Mark Bibby, KTP Associate employed on LJMU’s Engineering project with Vista Panels Ltd, was joined by his KTP Academic Supervisor Adam Papworth and Keith Sadler, Managing Director of Vista Panels Ltd to celebrate winning the prestigious “Business Leader of Tomorrow Award”.

Mark was awarded the title in recognition of his contribution to the KTP and was selected from Graduate Associates working on approximately 1200 ‘live’ KTP projects. 

Vista Panels Limited, based in Prenton, Wirral, is a prominent supplier of finished door assemblies for both retail and local authority markets. The current KTP began in October 2007 to support the company to establish itself as a market leader through the application of continuous improvement and lean manufacturing. 

Susan Thomson, KTP Manager for the University said: “These two awards add to LJMU’s strong reputation for quality KTP delivery.  The University has participated in over 110 partnership projects since 1995 and has a current portfolio of 18 live projects with partner organisations from across the UK, delivered by academics from across academic disciplines.  Since 2005, LJMU has secured 3 Business Leader of Tomorrow Awards and these most recent accolades add to a track record of which we are justifiably proud.’’

"These Partnerships received financial support from the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships programme (KTP).  KTP aims to help businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK Knowledge Base.  KTP is funded by the Technology Strategy Board along with the other government funding organisations."

Pictured, l-r: Keith Sadler (Managing Director, Vista Panels Ltd), Mark Bibby (KTP Associate, Vista Panels Ltd), Adam Papworth (Senior Lecturer, School of Engineering, Vista Panels Ltd)