Our Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub launches new website

The University’s Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub works with businesses looking to be more sustainable in their use of plastics.

The Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub (SMI), an enterprise support service led by the Henry Royce Institute at The University of Manchester, has launched a new website to promote its services aimed at businesses looking to be more sustainable in their use of plastics.

The new website outlines the Hub’s three levels of service from free trustworthy advice to longer-term research collaboration projects available to businesses. Read about the Hub’s latest experience supporting businesses and check out resources including videos from research collaborators from across the University.

The first newsletter from the SMI Hub was also released this month and is available here with highlights including a collaboration between Dr Ahu Gumrah Parry (Department of Materials) and Callaly to discover recyclable materials for menstrual products and the development of a novel solution to identify quantities of recycled content in plastics.

Established in April 2020 with funding from the European Regional Development Fund, the SMI Hub provides free advice and materials assessment facilities to environmentally ambitious SMEs in Greater Manchester. The Hub is led by Michael Shaver, Professor of Polymer Science in the Department of Materials and Research Area Lead for Royce.

Commenting in the SMI Hub Summer newsletter Professor Shaver, Professor of Polymer Science in the Department of Materials said: “The global plastics waste crisis has been highlighted by the pandemic itself and has demonstrated more than ever, that our services are needed to help turn the tide and enable a circular plastics economy. Businesses have the ability to make positive change and the power to play a significant role in the sustainable production, utilisation, and disposal of plastics and we are keen to work with any organisations who want to first understand and then transform their plastics usage for the better.”