KTN helping Manufacturers to Innovate
KTN’s Manufacturing team helps manufacturers to innovate, and innovators to manufacture.
This includes, in particular, helping manufacturers to improve their processes and productivity by connecting them to the right partners and the right funding channels from Innovate UK and other funding sources.
The following case studies demonstrate how the KTN has recently worked with different companies to help them innovate.
MDF Recovery (MDFR) has developed the world’s first continuous technology to recycle medium-density fibreboard (MDF) waste.
KTN has been a source of support and guidance for MDF Recovery over many years including signposting and support to secure a £500k grant to develop their product from prototype to a pre-commercial prototype and create innovation that would help scale their business internationally.
“Successful commercialisation of MDFR’s technology will see revenues of over £18M generated for the UK economy by 2024. This represents a return on investment of nearly 400% on Innovate UK’s grant funding. Due to the global nature of the MDF product sector, much of this revenue will be derived from export sales” commented Craig Bartlett, MD of MDF Recovery.
TotalControlPro are immersed in the area of Industry 4.0 and provide cloud-based manufacturing tracking and control technologies to the manufacturing sector.
KTN were instrumental in introducing TotalControlPro to key industry connections which enabled a wealth of conversations that opened new doors and new routes to market. They have been introduced to potential customers, key industry events and initiatives including Women in Innovation, invited to speak at industry conferences on the area of Industry 4.0 and recent investment in the company through Innovate UK grants has enabled the business to explore new business opportunities and new markets.
Director of TotalControlPro, Dolores Sanders said of the support provided by KTN, ““KTN takes start-ups and helps them become industry leaders. With the help of KTN we were given access to valuable insights into how the UK and international manufacturing marketplace works and the challenges businesses operating in this space have. They have helped us raise our brand significantly and introduced us to a wealth of new commercial and partnership opportunities to facilitate conversations that we would not have been able to have ourselves as a start-up”.
C-Tech Innovation Ltd is an integrated research, process development and equipment supplier based in Chester, with specialisms in electrochemical engineering and advanced thermal processing.
C-Tech, as part of a consortium, identified an opportunity to reduce plastic waste and the environmental impact of recycling corporate clothing. They developed a technology wear2 that de-branded corporate clothing (which was difficult to recycle due to security issues) to realise the value of the 16 million items disposed of each year in the UK.
KTN’s manufacturing team helped identify appropriate funding from Innovate UK to help develop the technology.  They were also instrumental in helping build the consortium of partners and finding a waste processing company that could resolve the disassembly challenges.
“It’s great to see the wear2 technology reaching manufacturing fruition. KTN was a key part of that journey, helping us in particular to find the funding and partners that enabled a better understanding of the end users.  KTN is a useful and practical resource for knowledge on markets and active partners for innovation. The KTN’s knowledge on the innovation funding landscape is excellent and the reasonable, informed and unbiased opinion of all of KTN’s staff is a valuable resource for anyone looking to engage in innovation funding or collaboration in the UK” Rob Bell, Technical Director, C-Tech Innovation Ltd.
How can we help?
The KTN Manufacturing team work to help manufacturers to innovate.  Please get in touch with the team if you are interested in finding funding routes or engaging with new connections to help you grow and scale your business.