Exchange Partners +
Unilever
With 400 brands spanning 14 categories of home, personal care and foods products, no other company touches so many people's lives in so many different ways.
Unilever's brand portfolio makes them leaders in every field in which they work. Ranging from much-loved world favourites including Lipton, Knorr, Dove and Omo, to trusted local brands such as Blue Band and Suave.
From comforting soups to warm a winter's day, to sensuous soaps that make you feel fabulous, their products help people get more out of life.
Unilever are constantly enhancing their brands to deliver more intense, rewarding product experiences. They invest nearly €1 billion every year in cutting-edge research and development, and have five laboratories around the world that explore new thinking and techniques to help develop their products.
Click here to view the Unilever website for more information.
Cambridge University
The Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) provides a unique environment for the creation of new ideas and approaches to modern industrial practice. The IfM takes a distinctive, cross-disciplinary approach to global industrial issues, integrating research and education directly with practical application in industry.
Part of the University of Cambridge’s Department of Engineering it brings together expertise in management, technology and policy to address the full spectrum of industrial issues. Research is undertaken in close collaboration with companies, ensuring its relevance to industrial needs. Industrialists contribute to our education programmes and host company-based projects, giving students experience of demanding, real-world problems.
The IfM works closely with industry, at a regional, national and international level, providing strategic, technical and operational expertise to help companies to grow and to become more competitive. You can find out how to work with the IfM here.
Companies can also benefit from the IfM’s undergraduate and post-graduate educational programme. Both courses put a high emphasis on students putting theory into practice by carrying out a series of projects with companies, tackling real industrial problems. To find out more about student projects click here.
The IfM holds a regular programme of workshops, courses and other events on a range of manufacturing management themes, you can find out more by looking at the IfM’s events website
View the IfM website for more information.
Cranfield University
Cranfield is a unique post-graduate university, with its main campus in Bedfordshire. The campus has four Schools, which cover the areas of Management, Engineering, Applied Sciences and Health.
Cranfield has a tradition of strong links with business and industry and is a world leader across a number of technological disciplines, including aeronautics, nanotechnology, new materials and water sciences.
The School of Management is in the top division of global business schools. At its Shrivenham campus Cranfield is the academic provider and partner to the UK Defence Academy.
Cranfield is delighted to be associated as an academic partner and supporter of the Exchange at Colworth.
View the Cranfield University Website for more information.
Institute of Food Research
Dr Reg Wilson is Head of Innovation at the Institute of Food Research (IFR) and leads its programme in Knowledge Exchange and Commercialisation (KEC).
This programme includes the Food and Health Network (managed by Professor Tim Brocklehurst), Intellectual Property and industrial engagement and business development.
He is Managing Director of IFR Extra, IFR's commercial contract subsidiary which is the formal partner in the Exchange. Extra is responsible for engagement with the academic research community and will encourage synergistic scientific collaborations between Colworth Science Park and the academically-centred activities in Food and Health at the Norwich Research Park.
The Exchange will provide a venue for Food and Health Network meetings and commercial activities of Extra.
Reg is also responsible for Science Operations at IFR including laboratory development and management, staffing, redeployment and training and scientific service provision.
View the IFR Website for more information.
View the IFR Extra Website for more information.