AN automotive engineer from Burnham picked up a national award for his latest project, which he hopes will revolutionise the car industry.

Mark Grix, who lives in Burnham, has spent the last three and-a-half years working on a new plastic building material for vehicles, or a thermoplastic bulkhead - called LGPP.

The material's creation has been lauded by the Worshipful Company of Horners, who gave the RLE International UK creation its UK Innovation Award in Plastics and Composites for 2018.

LGPP is a low-mass material, which is eco-friendly, cheap and completely recyclable, and Mr Grix is hopeful it will become the material of choice for vehicle manufacturers in the future.

"It is groundbreaking. For years and years cars were made out of steel, then aluminium, then carbon fibre was used for some vehicles like F1 cars.

"I believe this is the next big step things are going to take.

"It is going to be used by a very big manufacturer next year and then we are looking at rolling it out with other manufacturers internationally.

"We are hoping within five years this will be used by manufacturers across the world."

Earlier this year, the British Plastics Federation also named the LGPP its innovation of the year.

The Worshipful Company of Horners is one of the prestigious Livery Companies of London, and Mr Grix is extremely proud of the latest award.

Mr Grix, who has worked in the Basildon base of RLE International for around ten years, said: "To be recognised within the industry, and by the experts, is important.

"This product is my baby. Three and-a-half years ago we were asked to come up with ways to get mass out of vehicles and we came up with some ideas and developed this over that time.

"It it going to revolutionise what we can do with panels.

"The material is eco-friendly, cost effective and it is recyclable.

"It has been impact tested and environmentally tested and it is ready."

Mr Grix, who graduated from Coventry University with a degree in automotive design, was presented with the certificate and a traditional horn trophy by London Lord Mayor Sir Andrew Palmley at a banquet in the capital.

The product was up against around 50 other entries for the prestigious award.