INEM
Home  |   About INEM  |   Projects  |   Tools  |   Contact  |   Legal information  |   Privacy Policy

Rolls-Royce and ICI Paints take sustainable strides in R&D - 26 September, 2012.

Brand leaders such as Rolls-Royce and ICI Paints are strengthening their sustainability credentials by taking part in a government funded research and development scheme. 

Seventy companies, universities and research organisations will share £7m of funding in order to undertake 17 projects that aim to develop sustainable manufacturing for the process industry. 

The grant aims to improve sustainability in a range of sectors including food and drink, chemicals, construction and aerospace. 

The total value of the projects, which includes contributions from the participating companies, will be in the excess of £14m. 

Rolls-Royce will research and develop a more sustainable process for electropolishing aerospace castings using ionic liquids. Conventional methods involve the use of toxic inorganic acids; whereas, ionic liquids are greener and operate with higher energy efficiency. 

ICI paints will collaborate with other groups in an attempt to eliminate solvents in paint. Meanwhile, C-tech Innovation and its partners seek to develop a baking process that could reduce the overall energy consumption of the sector by 20%. 

The projects will be funded by The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). 

Technology Strategy Board chief executive Iain Gray said: "This research and development will lead to innovations in manufacturing that will improve economic performance, benefit the environment and have a positive social impact." 


Source: www.edie.net

26 September, 2012.