KE Scotland Industrial Collaboration - Heriot-Watt University 2 Baker.pdf · KE Scotland Industrial...
Transcript of KE Scotland Industrial Collaboration - Heriot-Watt University 2 Baker.pdf · KE Scotland Industrial...
KE Scotland
Industrial Collaboration
October 5th
Heriot Watt University
Ashley Baker
Head of Research and Development
Macphie of Glenbervie Ltd
Macphie - An overview
The UK’s leading independent food ingredients manufacturer
Turnover £45 million –
B2B - Bakery, Food Service & Food Manufacturing
Retail Brands
Two Scottish manufacturing sites - 246 staff
HQ on 2000 acre family-owned estate
700 years of Macphie ownership
Production Facilities
UHT Plant
Ambient stable aseptic liquids
Aseptic pack formats: 200ml to 1000L
Sweet & savoury sauces, desserts
dairy cream alternatives, glazes
Paste Plant
Bakery Concentrates and icings & fillings
Powder Plant
Bakery Mixes
Steam Injection cooking vessels
Rapid In-Line Chill
IQF Forming (pellets) Extrusion (logs)
Product Range Bakery mixes
& concentrates
Medical neutraceutical beverages
Icings, fillings & toppings
Dairy alternatives & custards
Sweet & Savoury Sauces
Pastry Glazes
Desserts
Release agents
Fruit Coulis
Soups
Dips & dressings
Gravies & jus
Marinades & glazes
Formed IQF meal components butters sauces stuffings
Customers Retailers – Tesco,
Sainsbury, M&S etc. Wholesalers Pubs Restaurants Hotels Coffee Shops Event Caterers Contract Caterers Airline Caterers Road & Rail Caterers Food Manufacturers Industrial Bakers
Major company investment
Budget ~5% of annual turnover
c 35 Research and Development and Technical Applications staff
25 R&D Technologists, R&D Managers
Pilot Plant/ Process Technicians
11 Applications bakers, 2 Development Chefs
Range of experience & qualifications
Biochemists, Chemists, Food Scientists, Nutrition Scientists
Range of nationalities including France, New Zealand,
Singapore, Bangladesh, Ireland, Iran
Macphie Research and Development
University Collaborative R&D Projects
We have progressed a broad range of collaborative
projects. Our partner academic institutions include:
Heriot Watt University
Mechanical Engineering Departments
Edinburgh University Physics and Chemistry Departments
Abertay University (AU)
Glasgow Caledonian University Food Science and Centre for Creative Industries
Strathclyde University (SU) DMEM and Chemical Engineering
Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health/ Aberdeen
University (RINH)
Robert Gordon University (RGU)
Institute of Food Research, Norwich (IFR)
University Collaborative Projects: Mixture of short term, focussed on specific problems or
opportunities and longer term, “blue sky” speculative R&D:
Project areas include:
Use of Ultrasound in thermal processing (TSB project)
Mechanical Engineering Projects on Packaging and Energy
Efficiency
Starch/ Protein Chemistry for surface modification
Microstructure in Food Emulsions
Stabilisation of Food Emulsions
Stability of Natural Food Colourants (PhD project)
Packaging and Manufacturing Process Optimisation
Chemical Engineering – UHT process flow characterisation and
improvement
New Packaging Designs for Sustainability and Manufacturing
efficiency improvement
Computer and Web Enabling Product Testing (M.Sc. project)
Student Placement Projects:
Macphie annually support industrial R&D student placements,
of 3-6 months from:
Glasgow Caledonian – B.Sc. and M.Sc. Food Science/ Biotech
Abertay – B.Sc. and M.Sc. Food Science/ Biotech
Robert Gordon University – B.Sc. Nutrition Science
University College Cork – B.Sc. Food Science
Macphie often also support university based student projects:
Strathclyde University – DMEM (2 project teams this year)
Heriot Watt University – Engineering Design Projects
Robert Gordon University – Product Design Project
Computer and Web Enabling Product Testing (M.Sc. project)
We currently employe 5 full time staff and 1 intern in technical,
specialist roles in R&D and QA who were recent, former
student placements.
“Baking with Sound” - Ultrasonic
sonication in the processing of
healthier foods Use of Ultrasound in Thermal Processing of Food
Existing Heriot Watt University Engineering project using
ultrasound to control densities of polymer foams for medical
implants
Doughs, batters and creams are also “foams”
Applied Ultrasound to doughs and batters, significant benefits
in controlling volume, texture and organoleptic properties
Novel, world first technology application
Baking With Sound Holes formed in bread while
baking. Not noticed until the
moment of consumption.
Density and texture optimisation
© Clockwise: Quinn Anya, flickr collection 2007; Rose Levy Beranbaum blog 2008;
Peter Reinhart's "The Bread Baker's Apprentice" (ISBN 1580082688, p. 135-139)
From Bench-top to Industrial
Scale: Small scale prototyping and testing supported by exploratory grant
Scale up to medium scale, real bakery equipment tests conducted by
Macphie and Heriot Watt University
Patent filed with Heriot Watt University in 2011 on technology and
application
Technology Strategy Board supported project
• Project consortium including Nortek Piezo (acoustic transducer manufacturer) and
Mono Equipment (UK’s largest industrial bakery equipment manufacturer) progressing
to industrial scale up.
• Integration of technology into large scale industrial equipment
• £500k project over two years
• Substantial PR Benefits:
• Over 80 articles in National Press, Trade and Technical Journals, from UK, Europe,
North America and Asia (estimated at £200,000 in advertising equivalent value)
• Considerable interest in technology from industrial bakery sector across
Europe
Feasibility study at HWU
(Autumn 2010) EDTC grant supported by Macphie
From bench-top to factory
kitchen (Spring/Summer
2011)
Technology Strategy Board
project preparation
(Autumn/Winter 2011) Consortium of 4 companies and University
TSB project awarded
(spring 2012)
Electronics
Physics
Transducers
Engineering
“Hard-science”
Bakery equipment
Ovens and proofers
Bakery products to end users
Gluten-free & specialty ranges Technology
Strategy Board
Baking with Sound - Consortium
Interface
Interface services were very helpful and added significant
value:
Defining problem/ help sought, communicating it out to broad range of
academic institutions
Rapid, very efficient and professional service
Identification of the right academic expertise, sometimes not obvious
or expected
Catalysing the initial collaboration
Identification of funding to support projects
e.g. Innovation Voucher scheme
Off-set risk/ cost of projects
“Pump Priming” small scale funding often particularly helpful to
enable proof of concept, test the water – if successful, lead to
longer term, larger value collaborations
Challenges of Collaborative Projects
Time-frame for response, project initiation, project scoping
and management sometimes “divergent” between academic
and industrial partners
Potential for simplifying/ standardising the landscape for
businesses when interacting with Universities?
Confidentiality, consultation service agreements, IP
Recognising the value of collaborative projects for Universities is
also in research, publication and teaching, combined potential value
of projects to economy via commercialisation
Some significant differences between best practice and
“less than best” practice in University response, project
management and delivery from a business perspective
Success models for Macphie have led to several long term,
high value collaborations with Scottish Universities
Benefits of Collaborative Projects
Specific problem solving utilising world-class academic expertise
Manufacturing process improvement, product optimisation, packaging
design and sustainability
Enabling speculative, blue-sky, upstream R&D
Longer term collaborative projects are themselves mechanisms for
further discovery, idea generation and technology leads
“Open Innovation” – get the outside in, external focus
Non-obvious technology connections
Builds internal company organisational capacity and expertise
Convert output into commercial value:
Intellectual Property e.g. Patent application on novel application of
ultrasound to bakery process
Big cost savings on packaging, raw materials, processes
delivered: > £1,000,000 delivered to Macphie already in sales
or cost savings as direct result of collaborative projects