CHAIRMAN'S CORNER

The Materials Technology Forum is now entering its sixth year of support to Welsh industry. Throughout that period, our technology transfer activities have expanded considerably to include this Bulletin, an advisory service, a pro-active web site and a series of prestigious lectures, seminars and workshops. For instance, over the last six months seminars have been held on "Computer Aided Materials Engineering" and "Rapid Prototyping". Shortly, we will hold a meeting on 8th February 2001 at the WDA office in Newtown. These have given SME personnel the opportunity of meeting and exchanging ideas with Welsh expertise from universities and industry. A number of collaborative programmes have resulted with financial backing from the WDA. The Forum is also keenly aware of the advantages of entrepreneurial developments for the Welsh economy. Consequently, it frequently provides support to schemes in which the entrepreneurs are justly rewarded. Over the last few years it has sponsored the WDA "Design and Product Engineering" technology prize which last year was awarded to Matt Teeling for his innovative design of an Avalanche Jacket and this year to Kevin Elcock for his highly acclaimed StaX boat. On the basis of such achievements, the WDA is able to facilitate the placement of attractive licensing agreements. Clearly, from small but well directed planting of seed corn major harvests are possible.

However, it is not just the prize winners that the MTFW seeks to help and promote. Each year, one item of long term value to members is produced. A recent example is a directory of companies and organisations involved in the material industry in Wales. A future objective is a directory focussing specifically on the plastics industry. These publications are intended to assist SMEs who live and work in a highly competitive and time limited environment. Other support includes this bulletin which is distributed widely within Wales and is presented also on our web site. Here is an opportunity for the go-ahead SMEs to present their technology or product to a wide audience. In a recent bulletin we gave two pages to the aluminium and steel can industries. We want to expand this facility to include all aspects of the materials related industries in Wales. Why not contact us immediately with ideas for future bulletins? You will find the MTFW very receptive to your suggestions. Why not go the extra yard and offer to join our Steering Group? Steering group members are from manufacturing industry, materials producing and processing industries, research organisations, business support infrastructure, consultancy groups and academia. While covering a wide range of interests, our expertise is not all-encompassing. Fresh faces, different backgrounds, new ideas would be very welcome and could significantly influence the future direction of the MTFW, particularly as we are currently redefining our business plan.

Finally, I would like to introduce you to an important new face in the Forum. Pauline Jones has recently been appointed as the MTFW Administrator. Pauline has started by directing the publication of this bulletin. In future she will be an important communication channel between members, SMEs and our WDA sponsored Materials Technology Forum.

If you wish to take advantage of our services or perhaps join us and influence our policies then
telephone: 029 2082 8631
fax: 029 2082 8775
e-mail: robert.walker@wda.co.uk

Award Winning Boat can be Packed and Stacked in Car Boot

A boat - capable of carrying up to five people - that can be taken apart in minutes and stacked in the boot of a car, earned its inventor the top award in the WDA Technology Prizes competition.

The innovative design by Kevin Elcock was praised by Alan Morgan, the Agency"s Executive Director of Business and Product Development, at a gala dinner and exhibition - Wales' premier event celebrating student achievements in the area of science, technology, design and engineering.

The 200 guests at the dinner representing industry, academia and supporting organisations, heard that Kevin had already applied for a patent and would be given every support by the WDA to take his design into the market place.

The WDA Technology Prizes competition, which has six separate categories, was one of seven major student competitions and awards presented at the ceremony which was attended by First Minister Rhodri Morgan.

Kevin's StaX (Stackable, Tender and Extensible boat) project had already won the Design and Product Engineering category sponsored by the Materials Technology Forum in Wales and was then voted the overall winner of the Technology Prizes competition.

Developed during his final year at the University of Glamorgan, the boat was designed primarily for use as a tender, enabling users to reach their yachts or motorboats from the shore. Having been brought up in Haverfordwest Kevin is well aware of the problems facing the sailing fraternity - conventional tenders can be stolen or damaged if left on shore, inflatables are particularly vulnerable and both need to be transported by trailer.

Kevin's answer is a rigid polypropylene modular boat made in sections that can be quickly assembled or dismantled, packed up and carried in the boot of a car. The boat can be easily extended and its size tailored to the number of passengers.

Currently employed by Frontier Plastics of Blackwood, Kevin was a former student of St Thomas Picton School, Haverfordwest. He will be using his £1,000 cash prize to further develop his prototype.

The Agency will now work with Kevin to develop the concept and talk to licensees and manufacturers with a view to marketing StaX.

Alan Morgan said the StaX system was a worthy winner and described twenty-two year old Kevin"s design as ingenious in its simplicity.

"It has all the hallmarks of a good invention - it is an excellent idea, there is a niche market for such a product, it is practical, stylish in design and highly innovative."

The help and advice already given to Kevin illustrates, he said, the strong support mechanism that is already in place in Wales to help entrepreneurs and innovators.

Kevin, whose ambition is to establish his own design company, has received help from the WDA, the Innovation Technology Counsellor network, Business Connect in Pembrokeshire, the rapid prototyping service at UWIC and HELP Wales.

His project has received a Glamorgan Innovation Award and discussions on funding from the Finance Wales Spinout programme are currently underway.

Mr Morgan praised the high standard of work undertaken by young people and said the award schemes all encouraged the involvement of young people in the process of innovation and helped promote a culture which valued innovation and technology.

Kevin will be making a presentation on the materials selection aspect of his award winning boat at the Forum"s event on Materials selection in Swansea at the end of June.