A new expert panel for BP&R

British Plastics & Rubber, and its digital outlet, InterplasInsights.com, are delighted to introduce an all-new editorial advisory board. The board will help to steer the future direction of the magazine, for the benefit of the industry, as well as contributing articles, research, guest authors and more.

Richard Brown-

Chair of Judges Design Innovation in Plastics Awards

Richard is currently running his consultancy R J Consulting and is also the Projects Director at Sierra 57 Consult, both roles offering the injection moulding industry support, training, and consultancy services. Prior to this he was Managing Director for RJG Technologies (previously G&A Moulding Technology), the Operations Director at the Hi-Technology Group and Managing Director of Hi-Technology Mouldings Slovakia.

He is the Chairperson of the Polymer Committee for the Worshipful Company of Horners, a judge for the Plastic Industry Awards and Chairperson of Judges for Design Innovation in Plastics student design competition.“I believe I can be a good ambassador for BP&R magazine providing inspiration and advice, utilising the knowledge and expertise I have amassed working in the polymer industry.”

Dr Sally Beken Knowledge Transfer Manager-

 Polymers Innovate UK KTN

Dr Beken holds a degree in chemistry and a doctorate in polymer technology. She founded and is the lead for the UK Circular Plastics Network which hosts an annual conference Global Research and Innovation in Plastics Sustainability. Prior to Innovate UK KTN she worked in the medical industry formulating polymeric materials to support the Montreal protocol enabling the protection of the Ozone layer from harmful CFCs, and her formulations are still on the market today.

She sits on the board for the Sustainable Material Innovation Hub in Manchester, The Centre for Enzyme Innovation in Portsmouth and as a Fellow at IOM3 on both the Polymer and Elastomer Group boards.

“I hope to bring insight into the future sustainable manufacturing processes and products within the UK and wider polymer value chain.”

Robin KentManaging Director-

Tangram Technology

Robin has been involved with polymer processing since 1971 and has worked as Technical Director for several. major plastics processing companies in the UK and Europe. He has published over 500 technical and management papers on plastics and windows, and 10 books on plastics processing. He is recognised as the leading authority on energy management in plastics processing and has carried out energy surveys and assessments on over 500 companies worldwide. His typical survey work identifies an average of 30% reduction in energy use and carbon footprint. Robin has a B.Eng.(Hons.) in Materials Engineering from Monash University (Australia) and a Ph.D. in Polymer Physics from the University of Surrey. He is a Fellow of the Energy Institute, a Chartered Engineer and aChartered Energy Manager.“Energy and sustainability management are not only good for the planet but are also some of the most profitable things that you can do.”

Dr Carmen Torres- Sanchez-

Reader in Multifunctional Materials Manufacturing

Loughborough University Professor Carmen Torres-Sanchez is the lead of the Multifunctional Materials Manufacturing Lab at Loughborough University. She designs and manufactures multifunctional polymeric structures and materials with tailored properties to meet specific in-service requirements (e.g., structural, acoustic, thermal, bio-mimetic). She has developed lightweight composites with optimised local properties for applications in the automotive, construction and medicine sectors. Her sonication technology is used to make foams with a bespoke cellular structure. She has attracted >£10M to support her research and has published 60+ papers in her areas of research and innovation.

“I look forward to showing examples of R&D in the science and manufacture of materials and structures using polymers, rubbers and composites that could be taken from a research lab to production.”

Dr Michael Junior Hopkins- 

Managing DirectorRoss Polymer Services

Dr Michael Junior Hopkins studied mechanical and polymer engineering. From there he moved to a position within the national polymer processing centre where he was tasked with overseeing all injection moulding-related projects. He went on to work with several large medical device manufactures in Ireland, on devices for multiple therapy areas, including Ostomy, Urology, Cardiology and Neurology. He holds a wealth of experience in managing and processing a range of complex polymer materials and device designs from drug loaded, resorbables, shape memory polymers etc. He has since co-founded, and is the current MD of Ross Polymer Services Ltd which specialises in innovative injection moulding technologies.“I hope to bring a mix of youthful enthusiasm and vast experience in medical device product development.”

Pravin S Mistry- 

Global CEO PREA Ltd.

Pravin S Mistry has 45 years of experience in the polymer and other manufacturing industries. Over the course of his lengthy career, he has served as divisional managing director and CEO for various multinational companies, including RPM Inc and PolyOne Inc (now Avient). His work has seen him take on management of global projects in the automotive, aerospace, and medical sectors, restructuring loss-making companies into profitable business, and overseeing acquisitions. He also set up a global composite plant in India from scratch and introduced new technology to a Detroit-based OEM supplier to Ford, Chrysler, and GM.“I’m excited to be bringing my 45 years of experience in plastics, rubber, compounds, adhesives, composites – as well as hands on experience of formulating, processing, and running companies globally.”

Professor Edward Kosior CEO and Founder

Nextek Professor Kosior’s expertise in the plastics recycling sector spans 48 years, split between 23 years as an academic and 25 years working in plastic packaging recycling. Reducing the world’s polymer waste and carbon footprint by developing new innovations is the driving force to his founding the science-based sustaintech organisation, Nextek.

Professor Kosior has designed numerous modern recycling plants and he has achieved a number of patented recycling breakthroughs. Some of his most recent transformational projects include NEXTLOOPP, the award- winning global multi-participant project to close the loop on post-consumer plastic packaging and turn it into high-quality food-grade recycled polypropylene (FGrPP) and award-winning COtooCLEAN, a unique technology to recycle soft plastic films back to food-grade compliance.“I will bring my perspective based on my (almost) 50 years in the plastics recycling sector and my extensive understanding of global and domestic markets and infrastructure to BP&R magazine. My years of practical experience developing state-of-the-art recycling plants around the world, through to working with brand owners to develop tailored sustainability solutions, has shaped the insights I will bring to the editorial board.”

Dr Thomas Bennett-

Research Fellow University of Manchester

Thomas is currently a Research Fellow for the Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub (SMI Hub) within the Henry Royce Institute at the University of Manchester, where he manages the delivery of a portfolio of consultancy and laboratory research projects as a senior technical expert. He is also R&D manager for ReCon² Ltd, a company developing a methodology for tracking and quantifying recycled content in plastics and packaging using fluorescent markers. A graduate chemist with a PhD in materials scienceand polymer chemistry, Thomas specialises in leading R&D projects in areas including materials selection, synthesis, product development, and research translation.“I’m bringing a genuine passion for plastics as a force for good in our society, and an enthusiasm to share new R&D developments with the plastics community.”