In-House and End of life Waste: Breakfast Workshop

End of life and in-house manufacturing waste is a key challenge for the advanced manufacturing sector. The prevalence of materials such as glass reinforced polymer has helped to revolutionise products for the aerospace, marine, automotive and wind turbine markets, likewise thermoplastics for the packaging markets. However there is a growing burden of waste from these industries, for example at present over 98% of thermoset composite production wastes are sent to subsurface containment centre. Not only is this costly, but the sector is at risk of landfill legislation or potentially bans.

There is a clear challenge for companies using such materials to adapt processes and technologies that enable in-house waste reduction, recycling or identification of more sustainable ingredients. Indeed, some of the world’s largest manufacturers are already engaged in this area, but to date, costs and expertise have rendered fast uptake by the SME community impractical.

Over the last six years, working closely with UK businesses, the University of Exeter has undertaken world leading research on various recycling and sustainability technologies and the development of alternative materials. The University has now been invited to submit a Business Plan for European funding to establish a Business Technology Centre in such an area. The Centre will provide support for the region's SMEs from novel material separation processes to new adapted technologies for integration within existing manufacturing processes. The Centre will enable SMEs to access technologies not currently readily available, to develop strategies for improved sustainability in their operations and to develop new or greener materials.

The University of Exeter would like to invite companies who are interested in this area to a Breakfast Workshop on Thursday February 9th at 8-10am. The workshop will outline the vision and activities of the Centre and a guest speaker from British Plastics Federation will give an overview of upcoming legislation and challenges and trends in the UK recycling plastics industry.  The event is an opportunity to hear more about the Centre, and to also discuss your issues and input into how the Centre will develop and operate.

Please register if you wish to attend.

If you are unable to attend, please email research-events@exeter.ac.uk registering your details and interests and we will be in contact shortly to tell you how this exciting new Centre is developing.

Opportunity to Develop & Influence the Future of Manufacturing