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Outstanding result for innovation partners

22 March 2010

 

Business-university innovation in the North East is proving its credentials with another top national award for Teesside.

Teesside University has been given a ‘Grade A – Outstanding’ by the Technology Strategy Board for its Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Newcastle-based Wellstream International.

The Tees-Tyne link-up was honoured for the way graduates and academic experts from Teesside helped Wellstream radically overhaul its business and management systems by introducing a total enterprise integration package.

Graduates Michael Boyce and Robert Lee spent two years as KTP Associates on the project, supported by their academic supervisors, Dr Ahmed Abbas and Dr Nasreddin Dhafr. They worked alongside colleagues in Wellstream - a leading manufacturer of oil and gas pipelines - to improve the management of technology across the whole organisation and helped select the right hardware, software and training.

And the real-life experience has benefited all concerned, with both graduates now employed by the company.

Frank Buck, Vice President (Projects and Engineering) at Wellstream International Limited, said: 'It is clear to all involved that the Knowledge Transfer Partnership has been nothing short of pivotal as the engine of change and in forging the success of a very challenging global ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) implementation project.' Dr Abbas, Director of the University’s Teesside Manufacturing Centre, was delighted with the award. 'Our partnership with Wellstream is quite special amongst KTPs because it was a ‘Double KTP’ and more than usually complex. It also entailed massive investments in systems and changes in operations for the company. And this will go on for a fair while longer with the company’s oil and gas exploration in Brazil.'

>This is the second highly prized ‘Grade A’ won by Teesside. Last year we won a ‘Grade A – Outstanding’ for our KTP with Stockton Casting Company. Both of these Grade ‘A’ KTPs received funding from One North East.

Business leaders of tomorrow Graduates on two Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) led by Teesside University have won prestigious Business Leader of Tomorrow awards.

The two were presented with their honours in March by Iain Gray, Chief Executive Officer of the Technology Strategy Board and Tim Waterstone, founder of Waterstones.

'Only five awards were made nationally – and for two of them to come to Teesside is a magnificent achievement,' said Professor Cliff Hardcastle, the University Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise).

The successful KTP duo were Sara Zarei and Alex Brown. Sara graduated with distinction from Teesside’s MSc in Computer Aided Engineering and is doing her PhD while working as a KTP Associate (Manufacturing Systems Engineer) with Stanley Vickers in Middlesbrough under the supervision of Professor of Biomechanics and Manufacturing, Farhad Nabhani.

Alex gained an MA in Sustainable Product Design from Loughborough and is working on his KTP with Solo Cup Europe in Huntington under the supervision of Peter Reid, Senior Lecturer in Product Design and Enterprise at Teesside University.

Sara said: 'The KTP project has provided me with a brilliant opportunity to gain vital industrial and hands-on experience alongside the chance to study for a PhD relating to the work and research undertaken. The project has also provided me with the responsibility to make a difference to the company through ideas of my own and implement new technologies for improvement.' Mr David Ford, the company’s Production Manager, said: 'The KTP project has brought huge benefits to Stanley Vickers Ltd and we are thrilled that Sara has been rewarded for her hard work by winning the Business Leader of Tomorrow award.'

Anne Sutton, Vice-President for the Environment and Innovation for Solo Cup Europe said: 'Right from the start Alex brought a refreshing ‘can-do’ attitude to our business, which has resulted in a number of valuable innovations. He is certainly a real ‘Business Leader of Tomorrow.'

For more information about KTPs from Teesside contact Emma Detchon. T: 01642 384407 E: text


 
 
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