Extending UK manufacturing capacity through the introduction of continuous processing unit operations

A collaborative R&D project to design, build & trial a modular unit for the continuous production of a range of market leading surfactants, currently manufactured in the UK by Croda Europe Ltd. Based on patented Continuous Oscillating Baffle Reactor technology, the project will deliver a new process for the manufacture of existing products, with significant improvements in operational & capital costs & process sustainability without impacting product quality. Processes are specifically designed for integration with existing batch manufacturing assets to provide increased capacity without the need for new supporting infrastructure & extended footprint. The consortium believes that the 30% targeted reduction in operational costs, combined with reduced capital requirements will make investment in UK manufacturing a competitive option in a global market. This industry led, four partner consortium (Croda, CPI, UoC IfM & NiTech) will establish technical & commercial viability of the concept; de-risking future commercial investment in the proposed technology. The impact of this strategy to create flexible manufacturing capacity on existing business models will be explored.