<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><ns2:project xmlns:ns1="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api" xmlns:ns2="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project" xmlns:ns3="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/fund" xmlns:ns4="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/person" xmlns:ns5="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project/outcome" xmlns:ns6="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/organisation" ns1:created="2026-07-08T08:44:08Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/projects/7B347FCB-885D-4179-825C-C62F93F00351" ns1:id="7B347FCB-885D-4179-825C-C62F93F00351"><ns1:links><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/persons/0C11A277-C5F7-4E83-9109-12C2088A8971" ns1:rel="PM_PER"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/0ED859CB-F60C-495A-BD98-E923F0B0DE95" ns1:rel="LEAD_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/0ED859CB-F60C-495A-BD98-E923F0B0DE95" ns1:rel="PARTICIPANT_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:end="2012-09-29T23:00:00Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/funds/FEAD58F6-664A-47CE-83EE-209D91C578C0" ns1:rel="FUND" ns1:start="2012-05-31T23:00:00Z"/></ns1:links><ns2:identifiers><ns2:identifier ns2:type="RCUK">700129</ns2:identifier></ns2:identifiers><ns2:title>Proof of Market</ns2:title><ns2:status>Closed</ns2:status><ns2:grantCategory>GRD Proof of Market</ns2:grantCategory><ns2:leadFunder>Innovate UK</ns2:leadFunder><ns2:abstractText>Bignall Lubritec supplies automatic oiling systems to manufacturers of agricultural field
equipment. These systems provide chains and bearing with constant lubrication while they
work significantly increasing component life.
The amount of oil delivered to each chain or bearing is governed by means of a restriction
metering device. These metering devices are intergral to the design of oil systems and
currently vulnerable to contamination in the agricultural environment and must be replaced
regularly. Operator feedback is that this is unacceptable an costly.
This issue creates a sales barrier for new prospective customers and service issues for existing
customers.
This project aim is to develop a serviceable device which can be cleaned and re-used and is
compatible with existing automatic oiling systems.
A fully developed and tested product would be introduced to existing worldwide OEM
customers to secure business for the future and also to new potential customers who currently
have objections due to limitations of existing methods.
The proposed project would secure a significant number of jobs in County Durham by fending
off large worldwide competiotors and we would expect to create new jobs as business
expands.
The project would also have a potential worldwide environmental impact by introducing the
option for these total loss oil systems to use biodegradable and vegetable oils. This would
avoid many hundreds of thousands of litres of petrochemical non degradable oils being
introduced to crop and soil.</ns2:abstractText></ns2:project>