BEP Surface Technologies, a leading metal surface specialist, has launched an innovation arm, BEP Solutions, to accelerate international R&D partnerships to address global challenges.

Leveraging 54 years of engineering know-how and using leading-edge digital techniques, BEP Solutions will build on its strong track record of collaborating with governments, academia and businesses to address challenges within existing and emerging industries.

From its innovation lab, located at BEP’s headquarters in Greater Manchester, the venture will target new partnerships to develop solutions for long-standing barriers in manufacturing and engineering.

The consultancy is poised to make significant contributions in areas such as optimising chill roll processes for leading packaging manufacturers and designing copper-coated canisters to secure long-term nuclear waste storage, prioritising safety and sustainability.

BEP works in the plastics, defence, energy, power generation and nuclear sectors and offers unique capabilities to solve contemporary challenges in cutting-edge new industries such as hydrogen and EV battery production.

Andrew McClusky, managing director of BEP Surface Technologies, said: “For more than 50 years BEP has cultivated a research and development mindset to find innovative solutions to metal surface engineering challenges. This has established us as the go-to partner for an impressive list of businesses, universities, and government agencies around the world.”

Address global challenges
He continued: “The launch of BEP Solutions formalises our commitment to further leverage our unique expertise, to strengthen existing partnerships, and to create new ones. A dedicated arm for R&D and innovation offers a conduit to drive transformative advancements to address global challenges.”

BEP counts the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) among its previous collaborators. They formed a partnership to develop a novel graphene-impregnated copper coating, a leading global food packaging manufacturer, to achieve chill roll process optimisation; a major defence supplier, undertaking multi-faceted research programmes into surface coatings; and a global nuclear waste management organisation, driving research into the development of copper-coated containers.

Other R&D partnerships have included the University of Sheffield Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), part of the High-Value Manufacturing Catapult, Innovate UK, the UK’s national innovation agency, and the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the UK’s National Metrology Institute.

Mr McClusky added: “We value collaborative partnerships, whether working hand-in-hand with government entities to deliver funded research initiatives, collaborating with prestigious academic institutions in the UK, bringing advanced material innovation to meet the rigorous demands of the defence industry, or providing tailored solutions to private enterprises.

“Whether advancing surface technologies, optimising industrial processes, or pioneering new solutions, BEP Solutions is ready to collaborate and make a meaningful impact.”

For more information visit solutions.bep-st.com.