Centre for Knowledge Transfer - Annual Review 2004

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knowledge

centre for knowledge transfer annual review two thousand and four london south bank university

transfer


Welcome to the third Annual Review of the Centre for Knowledge Transfer at London South Bank University. This has been a very successful year for both the Centre and LSBU. The University has recently been awarded £2.43 million by the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) for its knowledge transfer work with business and community. A key part of the award will benefit the Centre directly and will be applied towards the advancement of the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) programme at London South Bank University, as well as towards researching and piloting new methods of transferring knowledge from the University into businesses. This year has seen the Centre for Knowledge Transfer developing projects within a widening variety of industry sectors. Where in the past a large proportion of LSBU’s Knowledge Transfer Partnerships were in the food manufacturing and software industries, this year has brought significant partnership growth in the engineering, design and research & consultancy fields, as well as continued strength in the food and technology sectors.

In terms of the future, the University would like to position KTP as the cornerstone of its Knowledge Transfer initiative and preserve the Centre’s reputation for high quality programmes that deliver substantial benefits to the University and our business partners. I hope that you will find the 2004 Annual Review of London South Bank University’s Centre for Knowledge Transfer both an interesting and informative read.

Professor Deian Hopkin Vice-Chancellor

centre for knowledge transfer

contents

London south bank university

Through the Centre for Knowledge Transfer, London South Bank University has become the leading KTP Knowledge Base Partner in the Greater London Area and among the top group of KTP institutions in the UK. Under the KTP programme, the Centre has worked with more than 90 expanding businesses from a variety of sectors and industries, helping these organisations to develop comprehensive technology and business solutions, and to propel themselves towards new levels of success.

Centre for Knowledge Transfer

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London south bank university

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Located in the heart of London, the LSBU of today continues its tradition of over 100 years: to serve as a dynamic hub of teaching, learning and research in London’s inner city. With a diverse population of some 17 000 students and 1700 staff from the UK and around the world, LSBU’s methods of underpinning top quality teaching with industrial applications and progressive research create an ideal environment for the impetus of a programme such as KTP, which facilitates connections between academia and industry.

The types and the objectives of the organisations that the Centre has worked with since its inception in 1980 span across almost all sectors of business and industry and are complemented by the wide breadth of LSBU’s expertise. Over the past fiscal year, the Centre has worked with businesses from such industries as food manufacturing, software development, business consultancy, science and engineering, consumer goods, and many others. A wide range of business- and technology-driven objectives can be supported through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the Centre for Knowledge Transfer.

knowledge kransfer partnerships

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new projects started during the year

case study one La Fornaia

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case study two

centreforknowle

Service Works Global “The University would like to position KTP as the cornerstone of its Knowledge Transfer initiative and preserve the Centre’s reputation for quality programmes that deliver substantial benefits to the University and our business partners.” Professor Deian Hopkin Vice-Chancellor

The Centre has broadened its reach within the University, as well. A growing awareness of the

KTP programme within the faculties at LSBU has resulted in greater academic staff involvement with projects, thus contributing to greater expertise at the Centre and providing a wider base of knowledge and skill to company partners. The articles in this Review provide some background information about the University and the Centre for Knowledge Transfer, and explain the mechanics of how the KTP programme works. You’ll also find a list of KTP projects new to the Centre this year, as well as in-depth case studies that highlight some of the year’s most successful KTP projects and emphasize the benefits that Knowledge Transfer Partnerships provide to both London South Bank University and its partner companies. Our business partners continue to express great enthusiasm for both the KTP concept and the advantages that they have gained from collaborating with LSBU.

The Centre administers LSBU’s entire portfolio of KTP projects. The KTP programme itself is a Government-supported initiative whose purpose is

to strengthen innovation in the UK private sector, which in turn encourages wealth creation and competitiveness both in national and international markets. By forming collaborative relationships between industry and academia, KTP projects facilitate commercial access to the resources and expertise available within the UK’s Knowledge Base institutions. The Centre has seen tremendous growth over the past several years. In 1995, the number of projects and KTP Associates employed to manage them were 6 and 7, respectively, during the year. By the end of this 2004 fiscal year, however, those numbers had risen to 27 projects ongoing during the past 12 months, between them employing 32 Associates. Clearly, this upward trend demonstrates continuing success at the Centre and exemplifies the adroit management of the KTP programme at London South Bank University.

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case study three Turtle Mat Company

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case study four Anton Paar

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financial information

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organisation information

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transfer

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introduction


knowledge transfer partnerships

the centre for knowledge transfer’s goals:

typical types of KTP projects:

new projects started during the year

The Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) initiative provides substantial grant funding, expertise and resources to companies seeking to improve their business performance over the medium term.

• Strengthen the university’s research, consultancy, teaching and technology base • Enhance the skill and experience of academic staff in applying technology and expertise to commercial situations • Foster greater interaction between the University and industry • Encourage innovation in UK businesses through the development of knowledge sharing projects

• Improving existing products • Developing new products • Introducing new technology • Developing the company expertise base • Streamlining a manufacturing process • Implementing new systems and processes • Improving logistics processes

company Acturis business Provision of software services for the

management strategy and supporting systems for the company.

company Exony business Computer software systems design. project The novel call-centre optimisation software system proposed here will enable builders and operators of telephone call-centre systems to optimise the performance of these systems.

company Energy and Power Consultants business Technical consulting in the energy and

company Foley Cooke Associates business Retail interior design. project To develop an in-house graphics design

18%

capability for the company, so that it can effectively win new business from retail clients who increasingly demand an integrated retail interior design and graphical imagery capability.

18%

5-10 EMPLOYEES

14%

11-20 EMPLOYEES

21% 29%

power fields. Development of the company to become the principal source of knowledge and expertise for smaller scale sustainable development projects.

company Wave Technology business Provider of specialist computer mapping

company partner size

services for the oil exploration industry, and design management services for the media industry. Development of new software to significantly improve the ease of use and accessibility of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for the oil exploration industry.

company Service Works Global business Development and licensing of software project

for facilities, estates and property management. To research, design, and produce two new software products, the first a Property Management Scheduling System and the second an IT Helpdesk Facility.

company Sustainable Energy Action business Promotion and management of the

project

sustainable use and supply of energy, through practical advice and consultancy to organisations and businesses. To develop e\xpertise in Combined Heat & Power (CHP) system and installation. To formulate an expert system for CHP feasibility studies, which will form the basis of a new consulting service.

company Vehvac business Supply and installation of vehicle air project

conditioning and after-market products. To strategically develop the company into a distribution services operation for the motor industry.

company Delicious Catering business Food manufacturing and distribution project

company specialising in ready meals using halal meat products. To develop and implement new marketing strategies and new product development systems.

29%

24%

34%

13%

IMPROVED QUALITY

project

project

the Centre for Knowledge Transfer’s indusrty partners this year

company Touchstone Renard business Management consultants. project To develop and implement a knowledge

project

manufacture of processing and packaging machinery for the food manufacturing industry. To develop and implement design for manufacture processes and to develop an integrated output programme linked to the company’s MRP system.

IMPROVED OPERATIONS

project

and soft drinks. The implementation of new processing and packaging technologies to sustain market leadership over the long-term by developing the next generation of healthy, fashionable, low-fat snacks and juice drinks.

project

of electronics products for the telecoms market. To design and develop a new range of state-of-the-art telecoms devices for broadband network installations.

INCREASED SALES

company Big Thoughts business Manufacturer of savoury snack foods

101+ EMPLOYEES

• Sustainable energy • Knowledge management • Health & safety • Nutrition, health & lifestyle • Sports science • Software engineering • Product design • Food processing & manufacturing • Electronics • Logistics & distribution • Electrical engineering • Mechanical engineering • IT applications • Business process analysis • Production engineering • Chemical engineering • Fire & explosives technology • Solar technology • Human resources • Public relations • Media & publishing • Scientific instrumentation • Internet applications • Textiles technology & engineering • Materials technology • Training and education • Environmental technology • Forensic science • Architectural design • Telecommunications • Civil engineering

insurance industry. To develop and implement a new software based system for improving the transfer of client data onto the company system; to develop new software integration tools for the provision of an interactive system to link brokers with major insurers.

company Wright Machinery business The design, development and

NEW MARKETS

areas of expertise at LSBU

51-100 EMPLOYEES 21-50 EMPLOYEES

25%

18%

18%

RESEARCH & CONSULTANCY

Another objective of KTP is to provide industrybased training and experience to high calibre graduates intending to pursue careers in business. In order to maximise the personal development opportunities for KTP Associates, there exist a modular KTP Associate Development Course, opportunities to register for a higher degree and the possibility of obtaining a nationally recognised management qualification. Previous experiences show that approximately 70% of Associates are offered a full-time role by their company on completion of their project

28%

DESIGN & PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING

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11%

SOFTWARE & COMPUTING

A KTP project is undertaken in order to achieve a specific set of goals that are essential to the future growth and development of the company partner. Each KTP project at London South Bank University lasts for roughly two to three years and is supervised jointly by academic experts at LSBU and managers at the company partner. During the early stages of the project, one or more high quality graduates, called KTP Associates, are recruited from the open job market to work at the partner company on a particular set of tasks that are central to the company’s strategic goals.

FOOD MANFACTURE

One of the aims of the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) initiative is to strengthen competitiveness and wealth creation in the UK through the encouragement of innovation in the private sector. By forming collaborative partnerships between Knowledge Base institutions – being the universities, colleges, and technology and research organisations operating within Britain – and expanding businesses from a variety of industries, the KTP programme helps those businesses to access the knowledge and skills available within the UK’s Knowledge Base. KTP is widely regarded as the most successful grant funding initiative available to Small- and Mediumsized Enterprises (SMEs) in the UK today.

project

company Hughes Electronics business Design, development and manufacture

companies whose KTP projects finished this year cited these reasons for their increased profitability from KTP


When La Fornaia broke into the specialty bread market in 1985, it had no difficulty in finding and laying claim to its market niche. Just as the popular demand for fresh, authentic, premium quality Continental foods began to soar in restaurants and cafis across London, spilling out onto supermarket shelves, La Fornaia was ready with its unique line of hand made speciality breads. Over the next several years, the company would continue its sweeping market success exploring the potential of the specialist bread manufacturing industry. In the late ‘90s La Fornaia began its first Knowledge Transfer Partnership project, embarking with London South Bank University on a very successful two-Associate

project to perfect its marketing strategy and develop its already extensive line of products. During this time the company saw tremendous growth, with annual turnover increasing five-fold between 1998 and 2004. Remarks La Fornaia Senior Accounts Manager Carolyn Nicol, “That’s when we were really growing the business. Prior to that the biggest account we had was with Marks and Spencer, accounting for about 60% of the business. With the speciality bread market growing, we increased our sales to Sainsbury’s and Safeway so that they caught up with the Marks and Spencer sales, with Waitrose and Duchy Originals accounting for the balance. We are now progressively expanding business with other multiple retailers.” Project benefits were also seen at the University. Development of training programmes for use within the newly launched Food Technology Centre

at LSBU enabled students and staff to take advantage of industry-relevant training and information. Advantages towards research have since been seen in LSBU’s access to the Test Bakery facility developed at La Fornaia, facilitating NPD (New Product Development) and raw materials evaluations in undergraduate and postgraduate projects. NPD projects at the University can now be directly linked to a manufacturing operation, and postgraduate work on novel raw materials can be evaluated in a manufacturing environment. Upon completion of this very successful KTP project in 2002, La Fornaia found that it had a new opportunity for development: as a result of the company’s rapid expansion, it had outgrown its old business process infrastructure. Unprecedented levels of client demand were putting new stresses on old systems which might, if left unchecked, begin to hinder production efficiency. The production process infrastructure at La Fornaia had been developed for use by a company of a far smaller size, so in order to stay at optimal performance levels and continue to meet client demands, it was decided that an audit and overhaul of the business’ key production components were needed. It was at this point that La Fornaia undertook its current KTP project, with Associate Dawn Eachus. “She is a Planning and Business Systems Analyst, and we needed someone like that because we do

lots of planning and scheduling of production to meet the orders coming from our various customers, all with different collection windows. She’s been very instrumental in introducing structured process scheduling and planning,” comments Human Resources Manager Terry Miller regarding Ms Eachus’ performance, “Dawn came across as someone who could bridge the gap between the front office and the factory downstairs. That is vitally important and Dawn has managed to do that with great success.” The project’s Academic Supervisor Professor Vic Lane explains, “The project essentially is to do with production development; it’s about managing production volumes and managing production quality.” Professor Lane has had decades of experience working in both industry and academia, and has played key roles in several KTP projects with London South Bank University. In an appraisal of the rewards that this project is

providing both the Associate and the company he adds, “We’re helping both the company to evolve to a better level of production and quality of product - and also the Associate, to help them in their career.” A key aspect of what attracts the high calibre graduates that the KTP programme is known for is the Associates’ easy access to management training and higher academic qualification. Muses Ms Eachus, “You have the opportunity to develop yourself. You have the management training modules, which you can go on and develop your management skills. But also, I think that the fact that you can have a paid higher degree while still working and having support from the university and the company is good.” In addition to working full-time at La Fornaia, Ms Eachus is pursuing a Masters degree at London South Bank University. When asked what some of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of being involved with KTP are, she replies, “It’s very difficult when you come into a small place which has out-grown its current systems and you’ve got to try to get across to people that perhaps the way they’re doing it now isn’t the best way that it could be done. That’s quite a challenge and quite rewarding at the same time because when things start to pay off, people actually understand where you’re coming from and see the benefits of what you’ve done.”

case study one

La Fornaia Specialty Italian Breads London Remarks Mr Miller on her work at the company, “We’re helping both the company to evolve – to a better level of production and quality of product – and also the Associate, to help them in their career.” Professor Vic Lane, Academic Supervisor, LSBU “She’s got a very good personality and manages to relate to the operatives on the factory floor. She is able to say, “Right. What we want is that information and that information,' from the factory floor and then she translates it into a format that we can move forward with. We were looking for someone able to identify and address this gap in our production planning and Dawn has certainly proved that she can do it.” Given La Fornaia’s remarkable success outgrowing in 2002 a factory that had been custom built in 1997, just before its first KTP project - it is unsurprising that when asked whether or not he would recommend KTP to other companies, Mr Miller’s reply is, “Definitely and I always do. I’ve said it to many people: I would definitely recommend it; it’s been very beneficial for us.”

lafornaia

case study one

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For over a decade, La Fornaia has seen success after success. In the past four years it has won six prestigious bakery industry awards, including Bakery Food Manufacturer and Bakery Supplier of the year. Within a six-year time span, its turnover has increased five-fold and it has outgrown in less than five years a factory that was custom built for it and opened by HRH the Prince of Wales. This leading manufacturer of hand crafted specialty breads has been involved with two KTP projects and has employed through them three top quality graduates as KTP Associates. With a new KTP project to re-engineer key business processes now underway, La Fornaia’s vision of becoming ‘the leading supplier of premium quality hand crafted specialty bakery products to the UK,’ looks to be a goal well within reach.


In the highly competitive and fast-paced market of software engineering, progress and innovation are key to prosperity. KTP involvement has contributed to each of these at Service Works Global, giving the company an edge in the facilities management software industry that has helped it to consolidate its position among the top five organisations of its kind operating in the UK today. When it was established in 1994 as a software house specialising in the development, marketing, implementation and support of a range of facilities, estates and property management software, Service Works Global’s flagship product

Quantitative Facilities Management (QFM) quickly became a favourite of major blue chip companies across the country, counting such names as Lloyds TSB, Kellogg’s, Norwich Union, Siemens, Glaxo SmithKline, British Energy and many others amongst its clientele. This dynamic application capable of being used for a variety of purposes ranging from asset management to maintenance planning and service scheduling - was a very successful product from its inception. In 2001, endeavouring to ensure the continuing flexibility and optimal functionality of QFM by re-developing the system using the latest tools, Service Works Global began a two-Associate KTP project with London South Bank University. “We’ve had two KTP Associates, one of whom has been working on our web product,” explains the project’s Industrial Supervisor Jack Fraser, Technical Director for Service Works Global. In reference to the role played by KTP Associate

Giulio di Gio Battista he continues, “He has spent the last year and a half developing the QFM Web application, enhancing the functionality of the existing product.” The role of the project’s other KTP Associate, Rob Crowther, was to re-engineer the QFM software using a newer programming standard, thus making the product more flexible and functional with a wider variety of clients. His contracted tenure as a KTP Associate came to a close at the end of April 2004, but the company has chosen to keep him on as a permanent staff member. “He’s actually now our Technology Manager,” remarks Mr Fraser, “and has Giulio working for him as part of his team. The plan is that when we take on new KTP people they, too, will work for Rob. He understands the system from a KTP point of view, so there’s good continuity there.” Annie Gales reflects on the advantages of employing KTP Associates, “I think the diverse training that they’ve had has been really useful to the company. Not just the technology training, but also the management training and the modules have been beneficial for them; combining such training with experience in the workplace works very well. When studying at university, fully appreciating management training in isolation is quite difficult, especially when only reading the theory and having limited opportunity to put it into practice. The KTP scheme provides a solution to this.” She adds, “The University is very good at

putting the training programme in place and it gives the Associates a structured and relevant grounding from both a management skills and a development perspective, thus resulting in a more rounded skill set.” There are many well-known company benefits of KTP involvement at London South Bank University, including useful levels of grant funding, specialist input from academic staff, recruitment of highly qualified graduates, access to some of the most current resources and facilities available at the University, and the increased ingathering of knowledge and skill into the organisation. However, there are very often additional and unanticipated benefits for companies that choose to develop a KTP project with London South Bank University. In the case of Service Works Global, one such benefit manifests itself through the ties developed

between the company and University staff. “Quite often, for example, the University might have somebody who’s looking for an MSc project placement for four weeks or six weeks. We can often find a project that’s small enough for them to work on for a fixed duration that will also benefit them for their dissertations. So,” explains Ms Gales, “it benefits both us and them. We have several people working here at the moment on short-term projects from London South Bank University. They’re either training or they’re studying at South Bank, and have come here on short-term placements. It has been very useful for all concerned.” The University has also benefited through access to the Associates’ own industrial experiences and skills. In March 2004, Mr Battista and Mr Crowther gave seminar presentations to an MSc degree Electronic Commerce class at LSBU. One year previously, Mr Battista had also given a presentation on his work with JAVA and .NET technology, again to a class of MSc students in Electronic Commerce. In the future, more presentations are planned for both of them, to be given to classes in LSBU’s forthcoming new MSc degree course in Wireless Computing.

case study two

Service Works Global Facilities The mutual benefits of the Knowledge Transfer Management Partnership between Service Works Global and London South Bank University, realised through Software the success of the project involving Mr Battista and London Mr Crowther, has led Service Works Global to “The KTP scheme has provided additional skills and resources which have assisted us in bringing leading edge technology to market more quickly.” Annie Gales, Operations Director, Service Works Global embark on another KTP project with London South Bank University. “This is another two Associate project,” comments Ms Gales “which is a direct reflection of our belief in and commitment to the KTP scheme.”

serviceworksgl

case study two

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“Service Works Global is undergoing a phase of tremendous growth both in the UK and internationally. The KTP scheme has provided additional skills and resources which have assisted us in bringing leading edge technology to market more quickly. We have been working with two KTP Associates for almost two years now, and the scheme has been so successful that we are on the brink of signing up with London South Bank University for two more Associates. I would recommend the scheme to any organisation which is looking to share knowledge with higher education institutions. The KTP scheme has allowed us to expedite the launch of our web application and to bring customised and complex solutions to existing clients within stringent timescales.” - Annie Gales, Operations Director for Service Works Global


Since 1992, entrepreneurs Carole and James Turtle have been selling their distinctive line of cotton floor coverings at trade shows, through mail order and via major retailers such as Robert Dyas, Homebase and Scotts of Stow. The unique selling point of the mats is the excellent ability of cotton to absorb wet dirt, making Turtle Mats far more efficient than conventional coir or synthetic fibre mats. Although the company had always received great enthusiasm for its product on the market, it was felt that the full potential of the Turtle Mat was not being met. “We had been developing the market for cotton mats in the UK very successfully,” explains James Turtle, “but we realised that we needed something more than just functionality. We wanted to try to find the best way of improving our products by introducing better design and colour. That’s where – through our connection with London South Bank University – we decided to do one of the KTP projects.”

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He elaborates, “The goals of our project were to introduce new products and new marketing

thinking into the business of Turtle Mat Company.” This was to be accomplished through the development of a comprehensive market research strategy, which would then be used to assess the present state of the floor coverings industry within the UK and abroad. The subsequent research results would be applied to re-branding the company and redefining its image and product line according to current trends. As Carole Turtle explains the plan, “We decided to re-launch our whole existing range: to streamline it and make it look better, and to produce new promotional literature to go with it. Susan was responsible for a lot of that; she redesigned all of the point of sale material, the advertising and developed a completely new online presence for us.” The project’s KTP Associate Susan Leaver came to the business with an already extensive background

in commercial product design. Comments James Turtle, “I don’t think that we would have attracted someone of her calibre without the financial and academic support of the university, because it gave her the structure and the background that a small company might not have had.” One of Ms Leaver’s first tasks at Turtle Mat Company was to develop and implement a new research strategy which she then used to assess the state of the floor coverings industry, the market and the company’s performance. After this, she applied her research findings to the next phase of the KTP project: the re-branding of Turtle Mat Company and the re-creation of its image and product line. Working closely with field experts at London South Bank University’s Colour Design Centre, Susan developed targeted marketing materials for the company’s new identity and, in September 2003, the new range of Turtle Mat products was launched. Remarks Carole Turtle, “One of the greatest advantages was a fresh mind being brought in. The links with the university were also very useful because it made us think much more technically in terms of colour, how colour is used and what we were trying to do with colour and design.” “We used the colour research quite a bit.” She adds, on the advantages of having access to LSBU’s resources throughout the KTP project.

breakthrough which will result in faster turnaround on batch orders. Furthermore, development of the company’s mail order business saw Ms Leaver engineering the introduction of a new product coding plan that is compatible across the business’ brochure, mail-order and website systems. The new coding system has produced increased efficiency in stock control, provided online customers with a more user-friendly purchasing interface, and has facilitated the internal collation of sales figures and customer data. “One of the key things that KTP has brought is project management, the ability to set aside a certain amount of time to start and finish something, which I think as a small business before we lacked,” remarks Carole Turtle, “We tended to be doing several projects at once, not necessarily concentrating on picking out the key ones. I think it’s helped us to focus. We’ve restructured the company since Susan has been here, not necessarily just as a result of her work, but she has actually become very central to the company and the company is much more marketing orientated than it was.” James Turtle adds, “A lot of the things that Susan has done and has developed we’re now getting into the marketplace with great success.” The project has also been a great success for the University. The work and research carried out by Susan on behalf of Turtle Mat Company has

case study three

Turtle Mat Company Manufacture and Distribution of Cotton Floor Coverings Kingston-uponThames, Surrey

turtlematcomp “One of the greatest advantages was a fresh mind being brought in.” Carole Turtle, Partner, Turtle Mat Company

“Susan also used the computer learning opportunities offered and did a couple of computer courses at South Bank.” In addition to determining the direction for the redevelopment of Turtle Mat Company’s label and line, Ms Leaver’s research also found that online retailing would be a valuable sales technique for the company to begin cultivating. An e-commerce website was commissioned and implemented by her, which has since resulted in increased sales and the online promotion of the entire range of new Turtle Mat products. Since the start of its KTP project, there have been other technological advances within the company. The transfer of knowledge between Turtle Mat Company and experts at LSBU’s Colour Design Centre has enabled the business to utilise new jet spray dyeing techniques in developing a range of mat designs printed on tufted cotton, a

provided course material for a wide range of applications in the MSc Design, BA Marketing/ Business and BSc Engineering Product Design programmes offered at LSBU. In addition, the University’s Colour Design Centre has been able to apply the knowledge it has gained from the project towards its research into colour and design in the textile market, the effects of colour and design on consumers in an exhibition-style setting and also gained a valuable inside perspective of the mats and furnishings industry. The KTP project between London South Bank University and Turtle Mat Company was completed in January 2004, but Susan will be staying with the company in a senior position as its Commercial Manager. Carole Turtle reflects on whether she would recommend Knowledge Transfer Partnerships to other companies, “Yes, I would, definitely. It’s been an extremely positive experience for us.”

case study three

An expert grasp of both design and marketing is crucial to any business that manufactures and distributes a product. This is especially the case if that product needs to be both functional and attractive. Turtle Mat Company’s KTP project brought it a drastically increased acumen for both marketing and design, resulting in a complete company re-branding and a more cohesive product range.


“One of our product ranges deals with viscosity and rheology measurement; the two properties are fairly closely linked. It’s a range that we wanted to expand into alongside our traditional density market, which is now fairly mature,” explains Managing Director Paul Jiggens, “We’re looking into the areas of viscosity and rheology. We’ve got an excellent expanding range in that instrument field, so we’re now looking at all of the different aspects of extending that range.” Traditionally, the primary business of Anton Paar has been the supply of density and concentration measurement equipment for use in research and quality control labs. However, in order to maintain business growth, the company decided that it should start branching out into other instrumentation areas. This decision resulted in the development of a new product range of viscometry and rheometry measurement sensors, introducing two new products to the company: the AMVn Automated Microviscometer and the Modular Compact Rheometer (MCR).

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“The project is focussed on instrumentation for rheometry and viscometry,” explains Academic Supervisor Dr Hamida Kassim, “The first objective is to carry out some research on a novel technique for measurement, and in this regard we have employed Dr Hou to carry out the experimental study. The work she is doing at the moment involves testing existing equipment, and also testing and extending the novel measurement technique to what I will call unknown territory. The technique has been satisfactorily tested in known territory and we are now extending it to other behaviour which has not been tested with the same equipment before.” The second project objective is the development and implementation of new product marketing strategies to promote the instruments that Dr Hou is testing. A second Associate translating Dr Hou’s research and experimental findings into a commercial mien will develop this new marketing approach. The swift progress of Dr Hou’s work has made it possible to begin the recruitment process for this second Associate, who will likely be starting in early Autumn 2004.

valuable professional discussion of principle and method in rheometry, but also had the effect of promoting amongst experts in the field the fact that Anton Paar is a leading-edge company in the development of rheometric equipment. “KTP has an advantage over and above a normal research project,” remarks Dr Kassim, “The traditional method has been to get a grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to support a project. Sometimes at the end of those projects the results remained on the shelf because we didn’t have a bridge linking into industry. KTP has an advantage in that there is already an industrial interest in the work; there is an industrial counterpart to the project. Consequently, the results of the project are immediately being transformed into the industrial environment - into products and improved sales for the company - which is the case with my project. So it is a great advantage from that perspective. It is also an advantage in the sense that we’ve established a link with industry straight away, so we are not carrying out our research in isolation; we are working in partnership with industry.”

case study four

Anton Paar Scientific Instrumentation Hertford, Hertfordshire “Through our KTP project, we’ve had the chance to get input from a different angle and that’s given us more information. In one sense, it’s a question of broadening the outlook we have.” Paul Jiggens, Managing Director, Anton Paar

“The project is going very well,” comments Dr Kassim, “We have to look at progress in two categories. The Associate is expected to make contributions to the central project - which is the interest of the industrial partner - but there is also their academic development to consider.

“We’re looking into a new area where we don’t necessarily have as much expertise as in our traditional markets” remarks Paul Jiggens, “Through our KTP project, we’ve had the chance to get input from a different angle and that’s given us more information. In one sense, it’s a question of broadening the outlook we have.”

“In terms of the central project objective, we are ahead of target. The company is satisfied with the progress being made. Dr Hou, in addition to working on the project, assists the company with workshops and training for prospective customers. So in a way, she is marketing the product indirectly.”

Upon development completion of the new viscometry and rheometry measurement sensors, the company wanted to make certain that all potential instrument uses were explored. This led it to embark upon its KTP project with London South Bank University. The project has two main objectives and will subsequently involve contributions from two KTP Associates. The first objective is to identify new technical applications for the recently developed sensors. The project’s first KTP Associate, Dr Ying Yang Hou, is undertaking this work.

“From the academic perspective, the plan was to make some scientific publications in journals. Dr Hou has compiled a detailed review that she finished towards the end of last year and we are now in the process of getting this published. We are actually in contact with editors and the work is being reviewed, so it’s ongoing.” In December 2003, Dr Hou made a technical presentation to the British Society of Rheology based upon her work at Anton Paar. The presentation, entitled “Current Trends in Instrument Techniques for Rheometry,” served not only as a

In addition to the research opportunities presented by this project, there has already been one undergraduate thesis at LSBU based upon the work at Anton Paar, as well as extensive personal and professional benefits for Dr Kassim. “I can look at my gain from different perspectives. My

involvement with the project has caused me to become involved with the British Society of Rheology. I’ve also made contact with colleagues in other universities and in industry. Furthermore, the project has widened my understanding of the measurement techniques applicable to the instrument we are testing; the outcome of the research project carried out by our undergraduate student has actually enlightened me and one of the things I’m hoping to do is to turn the research project report from our undergraduate student into a scientific publication. So, again, that’s worked out well. That would be yet another benefit.” With the project now well underway and about to move into the next phase, its future and payback look extremely promising. Paul Jiggens reflects from a commercial point of view, “I think KTP has brought a resource; that’s the main thing. It’s allowed us to have a focussed resource which we can then use as part of our overall sales strategy.”

antonpaar

case study four

Just over one year into its KTP project, Anton Paar is already making strong headway with its Knowledge Transfer Partnership at London South Bank University. The two-Associate project will bring to light new applications for some of the company’s most recently developed scientific instrumentation products, as well as introduce new marketing strategies grounded in product experimentation and scientific research.


DEFRA

DTI & DEFRA

DTI & ESRC

RESEARCH & CONSULTANCY

DTI

FOOD MANFACTURE

funding body investment

Telephone 020 7815 6922 Facsimile 020 7815 6915 Email ktpinfo@lsbu.ac.uk Website www.lsbu.ac.uk/ktp/ Website www.ktponline.org.uk

©2004 Centre for Knowledge Transfer London South Bank University This report covers the year 1 August 2003 to 31 July 2004

we stm in ster bridge road

h bet m la

southwark street

borough road

st. georges circus

d roa st. geo rge ’s

et tre ke le s yw doy s or ma th tho

roa d

walcot street

bro ok drive

london south bank university venues

bor oug hh igh st.

TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING

industry sector investment

Centre for Knowledge Transfer South Bank Technopark 90 London Road London SE1 6LN

st re et

ad ro

76%

Finance

elephant & castle undergound wa lw or th

th ba roc kin gha m

ce rra te

new kent road elephant & castle rail

road

ad ro

6%

Anton Paar La Fornaia London South Bank University Service Works Global Turtle Mat Company Wave

Mike Freeland

er rp ha

16% 2%

Images

n do lon

33%

15%

Administration

et re st ry ta ro

6%

SOFTWARE & COMPUTING

28%

wave 020 7935 3741

Shirley Nicholson

str eet

£1,984

TOTAL

Design, Layout and Production

cau sew ay

50 111 289 1,535

Marketing & IT

southwark bridge ro ad

DTI & ESRC DEFRA DTI & DEFRA DTI

Genevieve Sovereign

Genevieve Sovereign

new ing ton

Grant Investment (£’000)

Writer

Deputy Manager

main entrance

Funding Body

Barbara Ellis

newin gton butts

funding body investment

This Annual Review was produced and published by London South Bank University’s Centre for Knowledge Transfer.

Head of Centre

oswin street

£3,200

TOTAL

Nathan Burgess

blackfriars road

152 493 589 895 1,071

Ali Abdallah Ruth Amigo Mikko Arevuo Mark Atherton Ebad Banissi Steve Barass Giulio di Gio Battista Alan Bent Cesar Bernal Matthew Best Goran Bezanov Jeff Burke Martin Chaplin Rob Crowther Hilary Dalke Tony Day Chris Dowlen Dawn Eachus Ezzat El-Barbary Nicholas Franciosi Jonathan Gamman Stefan Gan Sally Green Suzanne Hinchliffe Louis Hinojosa Ying Yang Hou Wesley Jenkins Clare Johns Matthew Jones Hamida Kassim Vic Lane Susan Leaver Emmanuelle Lerges Allen Long Graeme Maidment Mandy Maidment Dominic Man Ran Mendelewicz Andrew Mott Kit Nguyen Phil Nolan Olga Pechinkina Cuong Phan Ben Ramalingam Andrew Reeve Jon Selig Kwok Chung Tang Elvis Vaz Dominic Way Benjamin Whitaker Xiao Yi Yao Anna Zacharewicz Zoren Zmajkovicz

gar den row

DESIGN & PRODUCTION RESEARCH & CONSULTANCY TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING SOFTWARE & COMPUTING FOOD MANUFACTURE

production credits

ad ro

14

Industry Sector Company Investments (£’000)

18%

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

In total, the Centre is currently managing funds for this year’s contracted projects in excess of £5.18 million. These significant financial investments from both private sector and government sources establish London South Bank University as one of the leading KTP Knowledge Base Partner institutions in the UK.

industry sector investment

the centre for knowledge transfer

squ are hay les str eet

Acturis Anton Paar Energy & Power Consultants Exony Finsoft Touchstone Renard Big Thoughts British Bakels Delicious Catering Gazebo Fine Foods Harry Mason La Fornaia Pie Man Food Company Simmons Overseas Development Institute Sustainable Energy Action Service Works Global Wave Foley Cooke Heritage Silver Turtle Mat Company Hughes Electronics Locke Carey Vehvac Wire Belt Wright Machinery

project delivery

we st

At LSBU, the main funding bodies of the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships initiative have been the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Combined, these organisations have committed over £1.98 million in grant funding towards this year’s active KTP projects at the Centre for Knowledge Transfer; investments from our company partners have totalled roughly £3.20 million.

investments

kennington road

companies this year

o rlo te wa

financial information


20

telephone 020 7815 6922 facsimile 020 7815 6915 email ktpinfo@lsbu.ac.uk website www.lsbu.ac.uk/ktp/ centre for knowledge transfer south bank technopark 90 london road london SE1 6LN

04


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