A UNIVERSITY has won two national awards in connection to its work with two businesses in Colchester and Basildon.

The University of Essex attended the Innovate UK Annual Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) awards in Cardiff, Wales, on October 18 and won the ‘Future Leaders’ and ‘Best Management KTP’ awards.

When it comes to the Future Leaders Award,  the university and KTP Associate Rodolfo Cuan Urquizo took home the award thanks to their partnership.

Rodolfo is a cognitive robotics research scientist based in Colchester and works for Industrial Robotic Solutions at University of Essex’s knowledge gateway research and technology park.

Gazette: Happy - Rodolfo Cuan Urquizo with Steve Welch, Director of place, skills and knowledge transfer at Innovate UK KTN and Suzannah LipscombHappy - Rodolfo Cuan Urquizo with Steve Welch, Director of place, skills and knowledge transfer at Innovate UK KTN and Suzannah Lipscomb (Image: University of Essex)

Thanks to this collaboration, the business and Rodolfo have been able to  create a 3D-printed grabber which can pick up delicate food ingredients and place them inside factory-made sandwiches, this technology is also able to distinguish the difference between ingredients.

The Best Management KTP (mKTP) award was awarded to Essex University and the Basildon-based company, Finishing Line, and it’s KTP Associate, Joshua Arrowsmith.

The business is a supply chain service for organisations and the award was won due to Finishing Line’s commitment to adopt new skills across the business as a result of the collaboration with Essex University.

Thanks to the support and knowledge the business received from Essex University’s Professor Niraj Kumar, Dr Shabneez Bhankaraully and Professor Matthew Allen, from Essex Business School, the business has seen an increase of £175,000 in annual sales.

Gazette: Thrilled - Joshua Arrowsmith with Dr Shabneez Bhankaraully and Professor Niraj KumarThrilled - Joshua Arrowsmith with Dr Shabneez Bhankaraully and Professor Niraj Kumar (Image: University of Essex)

Rob Schatten, the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Manager at the University of Essex is thrilled with the wins.

He said: “We are absolutely delighted to see Rodolfo at Industrial Robotic Solutions and Joshua Arrowsmith at The Finishing Line recognised for the tremendous achievements delivered by their KTPs.

“Both projects have demonstrated the value a KTP can have on an organisation which provides support, personal investment in a talented Associate, and room for them to grow into the role.”

A knowledge transfer partnership is a partly government-funded programme which is used to encourage collaboration between businesses and universities in the UK.

Gazette: A place of learning - University of EssexA place of learning - University of Essex (Image: University of Essex)

KTPS have been helping businesses across the country continue to grow and expand since 1975.

According to UK Research And Innovation, there are approximately 800 businesses, 100 knowledge based and over 800 graduates involved in KTPS.