Origins of OMIC
A report from Arthur D Little, commissioned by the NWDA/GONW and a meeting of industrialists from the NW chemical industry - arranged by the North West Chemical Initiative (NWCI) - had both identified the critical technology themes that underpin the region chemical industry. One of these is Organic Materials and Polymers. It is key both to the multinationals who manufacture bulk polymers and to smaller companies manufacturing speciality polymers for coatings, high performance engineering polymers, oligomers and surfactants. The organic materials and polymer sector in this region is both active and profitable with the materials finding applications in such diverse fields as biomaterials, pharmaceuticals, packaging, textiles, surface coatings, separation technology, electronics, water treatment, lubricating oils and ink-jet inks. This industry increasingly needs new scientific knowledge in strategic/applied areas if it is to innovate and thrive in the rapidly changing global market place. A major factor which would facilitate this would be to better align the interests and activities of industry and academia. The NWCI put forward a proposal to establish a University Innovation Centre (UIC) in organic materials and polymers, whose major objective was to strengthen and coordinate the study of organic materials in NW Universities and to refocus their activities on the current and future needs of industry. In 2001 the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced that the DTI would provide ?.3m to establish this UIC. Following the DTI announcement, a team of academics and industrialists, facilitated by the NWCI, formed a "Start Up Team" to create the vision for this UIC. This team comprised representatives from the University of Manchester, AG Fluoropolymers, Avecia, Great Lakes BioLab, UCB Films, Unilever and Victrex. During 2002, a CEO and an Industry Coordinator were appointed to manage the realisation of this vision and to generate a business plan. In Nov 2002 this plan was accepted by the DTI and contracts signed between them and the University of Manchester. OMIC is now managed by a team comprising representatives drawn from the industrial and University members together with an independent CEO and Industry Coordinator. Its activities, both now and in the future, are determined by the needs of the members.
OMIC is the only UIC working in the chemicals sector and started to operate in 2003. "Xiaomuren" brand snack food series has enjoyed good reputation from domestic and abroad consumers.The products are made of organic materials certified by OMIC from Japan. |
