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Research and Development 21 At the sharp end of R&D
How commercial and academic partnerships are spearheading innovation in ACR research and development.
Drs Scott Turner and David Watson.
NO ACR MAINTENANCE engineer wants to do a job twice, so when it comes to solvents and cleaning chemicals it’s vital that they have the most powerful and effective cleaners on the planet. But which companies create the most potent, cutting edge formulas? And how do they come up with new and better ones, especially in the face of stricter legislation and the move towards greener ways of working?
To gain an insight into research and development in the ACR industry, we spoke to Advanced Engineering, one of Europe’s leading formulators, blenders and suppliers of specialist chemical products to the ACR industry. The company has just embarked on a three-year partnership with a team of British chemists at the University of Surrey’s Department of Chemistry. Together, they hope to refine and enhance the company’s current products, create more environmentally friendly solvents and also develop brand new world- beating formulas.
This commercial-academic alliance is known as a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), a part government- funded programme designed to support businesses who want to improve their competitiveness, productivity and performance by working in partnership with UK universities and colleges. Barry Lea, chairman of Advanced Engineering explains: “When you’re formulating and supplying cleaning chemicals to an international market, you don’t get anywhere by treading water. “Tapping into the knowledge and expertise of a world class university helps us to refine current products and develop new lines in the short term, but in the long
term it helps us strengthen our position as an innovator and a global market leader.” The University of Surrey is currently ranked as the eighth best university in the UK by The Guardian League Tables for 2014. Doctors Scott Turner and David Watson are the university’s two researchers working on the KTP, .
Dr Turner explains: “For Advanced Engineering we are focusing on understanding the fundamental chemical – exactly why a particular chemical is in a formulation, how its action can be improved and how its environmental impact can be reduced – all by understanding the molecules involved. “My speciality is looking at solid state materials and how the electronic properties can be moderated, which has a close link with cleaning chemicals in which electronic charges on molecules are particularly important.
“Meanwhile, David’s expertise is on
catalysts – improving the rate at which chemical reactions occur.
“During the lifetime of the KTP we intend to produce a line of new liquid cleaning products that are less hazardous to the environment and the end user. The aim is to achieve this while simultaneously improving the efficiency of the cleaning action.
“The new products will offer the advantages of being easier to use, providing a deeper clean and being more environmentally sound than competing products.
“We also intend to produce a new biocide for refrigeration units, with a specific focus on improving the range of temperatures across which it can operate. “This new product will not only open up new markets for Advanced Engineering but is also likely to have a prolonged action time, giving a cost saving to the engineer who uses it.”
Advanced Engineering believes that this Knowledge Transfer Partnership will help put the company one step ahead of its international competitors, while simultaneously strengthening its products for wholesalers and customers around the world.
Mr Lea says: “Our target – our aspiration – for this partnership is to ensure that when air conditioning and refrigeration engineers and wholesalers see the Advanced Engineering brand, they know they are buying the best product on the market.
“That trust and reliability is hard to come by, so we feel it is our responsibility to work harder – and work smarter – to ensure we continue to lead the industry and remain the trusted supplier of the world’s most cutting edge solvents.”
Visit ACR News online at
www.acr-news.com A supplement to ACR News May 2014
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