A nationwide search for ground-breaking products designed to solve problems in the construction industry has resulted in the naming of six innovation champions to watch in 2017. The exciting Travis Perkins Innovation Awards (TPIA), is the first of its kind for the industry.
The successful winners of the first ever TPIA were chosen from over one hundred applicants by an industry panel of judges and announced as: Dr Daniel Simmons, Jonathan Bolton, Jonathan Wood of Johnson Tiles, Mark Singleton of Startlink Systems Ltd, Mark Titley, and Russel Armstrong of RA Tech.
The winners’ products include; Johnson Tiles’ ‘CristalGrip’ an innovative tile fixing system, Russel Armstrong’s ‘Hotun’ the UK’s first regulation compatible all-in-one dry trap tundish, Dr Daniel Simmons’ ‘LeakNet’ a smart solution to water damage prevention, Mark Titley’s ‘Pipe Cone’, a safer and more efficient plastic pipe chamfer tool, Mark Singleton’s ‘Spacelink truss’ made of fiberglass hollow sections, joined without metal or adhesive said to have the strength of steel but much lighter and rustproof, and Travis Perkins employee Jonathan Bolton’s ‘Stay Safe’ multi cordon bag, which makes cordoning off an area safe and quick without the need for traffic cones.
A TPIA winner was chosen from each of the following categories; university-affiliated, problem-solving, inventors, registered businesses and internal colleagues. Going forward the successful applicants will all work closely with Travis Perkins to access professional advice, support and funding depending on their specific needs.
Norman Bell, Group Strategy Director at Travis Perkins plc, said: “As a major UK employer with 21 businesses it is important to invest in innovative products and new ideas which help to solve daily problems that are encountered by our customers and the industry as a whole. We are extremely pleased and proud that the first Travis Perkins Innovation Awards initiative has been so successful, resulting in the discovery of so many viable product inventions with the potential to make a positive impact on other businesses within the industry.”
Organised by the Innovate team at Travis Perkins plc, the main sponsor of the Travis Perkins Innovation Awards was Marshalls.
The winners’ and their locations:
- Johnson Tiles – Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
- RA Tech – Chellaston, Derbyshire
- Mark Titley – Winterton, Lincolnshire
- Mark Singleton – Malvern, Herefordshire
- Jonathan Bolton – Burnley, Lancashire
- Daniel Simmons – Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
