Best in British manufacturing showcased

Two West Midlands businesses that have worked alongside the University of Wolverhampton to develop innovative products are taking a starring role in an exhibition to highlight the best in British manufacturing.

Telford-based The Green Roof Tile Company, and Clarkwood Engineering, in Wolverhampton, beat competition from hundreds of UK companies to a place at the Make it in Great Britain exhibition, which aims to educate visitors about the value of manufacturing to the UK economy.

The free exhibition at the Science Museum in London runs until Sunday, 9 September 2012.

The University worked alongside the Green Roof Tile Company to develop its revolutionary roofing tile made from recycled polymers. The Envirotile weighs just 710g – less than a quarter of the weight of conventional concrete roof tiles.

Clarkwood Engineering was selected for the new product challenge zone within the exhibition, and given the opportunity to showcase its TenCon load indicating system, which is an innovative way of checking that bolts stay tight in service. This was developed with the assistance of the Caparo Innovation Centre at the University through the Innovation 1st project, which aims to help businesses adopt new technologies.

The exhibition is the culmination of the Make it in Great Britain campaign; an initiative launched by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) last year which aims to challenge outdated opinions of the UK manufacturing industry.

The Green Roof Tile Company has also been selected by BIS as one of a small number of exhibitors to take part in a special ‘Make it in Great Britain’ showcase in central London.

Caparo Industrial Professor, Andrew Pollard, said: “The University is delighted to have been involved with two companies exhibiting at the ‘Make it in Great Britain’ exhibition running at the Science Museum all through the summer to coincide with the Olympics.

“BIS have gone on to select a small number of exhibitors for a ‘Make it in Great Britain’ showcase in the reception foyer of their offices in London. Once again, we’re delighted that The Green Roof Tile Company has been selected to represent the exhibition and visitors to the BIS offices can see the product and its story played out there.”

For more information about Make it in Great Britain, visit http://makeitingreatbritain.bis.gov.uk

ENDS

Picture: Trevor Wakefield, inventor of the Green Roof Tile Company’s Envirotile, at the Make it in Great Britain exhibition.

For media inquiries please contact Vickie Warren in the Media Relations Office on 01902 322736