Bitrez strikes gold at manufacturing awards
Bitrez Ltd has struck gold at the regional heats of a major national manufacturing awards programme organised by Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation.
The awards which recognise excellence among manufacturing companies in six categories, as well as two Apprentice categories, were presented at the North West annual dinner of Make UK which was sponsored by Japanese IT solutions provider Hulft and held at Hotel Football in Manchester.
Bitrez, which employs 102 people, is a Queens’ Award winning manufacturer of synthetic resin, catalysts and curing agents for high performance markets such as aerospace, defence, automotive, rail, marine, packaging and more.
Bitrez was given the Make UK Innovation Award for its development of Curaphen – Bisphenol A (BPA) free resins. Launched in 2013, Curaphen is used for the internal coatings of food and drink packaging.
Following a worldwide health scare regarding the potential harm caused by BPA to humans – with media emphasis directed to expectant mothers and babies – Bitrez developed Curaphen, an alternative polymer to BPA based grades, for use with non-epoxy-based systems.
Not only does Curaphen satisfy new regulations but it also meets desirable processing and performance requirements.
Paul Jones, Bitrez Ltd Managing Director and formulator of the product said: “I’m delighted that Bitrez has won the Make UK Innovation Award. Using creative chemistry to develop innovative products that resolve regulatory and technical problems is our raison d’être. This award pays tribute to everyone at Bitrez who worked so hard to bring the product to market, as well as the loyalty of customers and suppliers.”
Commenting on the award Dick Elsy, Chief Executive of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult said:
“Innovation is the beating heart of a thriving company. Mastering its rhythm is key to developing great products, achieving outstanding productivity and putting a business ahead of the pack. Innovators are the drivers of opportunity. They create robust, sustainable growth, whatever the economic outlook, and deserve our recognition and praise. Bitrez is a worth winner of the Innovation Award.”
Commenting Russell Kirby, Senior Director, Business Development EMEA, at Hulft the sponsor of the dinner said.
“Britain is one of the world’s biggest manufacturing nations, and it is a great privilege to be working with MAKE UK to help support and champion UK manufacturing. The sector is facing significant change, as a result of what is being referred to as the 4th industrial revolution, and it is important that businesses are given the right opportunities to properly position themselves for the future. We are looking forward to getting out to meet MAKE UK’s members and being part of such an important and credible awards programme.”
All the winners will now go forward to the national finals to be judged in London in December.
About Make UK
Make UK, The Manufacturers’ Organisation, is the representative voice of UK manufacturing, with offices in London, Brussels, every English region and Wales.
Collectively we represent 20,000 companies of all sizes, from start-ups to multinationals, across engineering, manufacturing, technology and the wider industrial sector. We directly represent over 5,000 businesses who are members of Make UK. Everything we do – from providing essential business support and training to championing manufacturing industry in the UK and the EU – is designed to help British manufacturers compete, innovate and grow.
From HR and employment law, health and safety to environmental and productivity improvement, our advice, expertise and influence enables businesses to remain safe, compliant and future-focused.
About Hulft
HULFT is the flagship product from Saison, a Japanese IT solution innovator. Established in Japan in 1970 Saison launched HULFT in 1993. HULFT enables companies to automate traditionally manual processes, to eliminate the risks of duplication and errors which are inherent when rekeying data. HULFT can integrate legacy systems with more contemporary applications, and its comprehensive suite of connectors and intuitive software development kit (SDK) enable it to connect virtually any system to another. The HULFT solution has helped more than 10,000 customers across 43 countries automate, orchestrate, and accelerate the secure flow of information at scale.
About HVM Catapult
The High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult is the catalyst for the growth and success of advanced manufacturing in the UK. It helps manufacturing companies bridge the transition between early stage research and commercial application – the so-called Valley of Death – which typically involves big investments in facilities and expertise, without guarantee of success. Working with the HVM Catapult, reduces the risk significantly because companies can access the facilities and the expertise they need, whilst deferring the investment decision until it’s proven that the innovation can be scaled up and is realisable on a commercial scale.
