Chemicals & Materials
Chemicals and materials processes are central to the technological infrastructure, but bringing them to commercialisation has become increasingly challenging. Problems of global competition, resource scarcity, increased environmental and health sensitivity - and the whole life management of the products that incorporate them - make production of chemicals and materials a technically demanding affair.
Oakdene Hollins fields a team of consultants with backgrounds in applied chemistry, engineering and commercial application. We have experts in petrochemicals, fine chemicals, surface science, biomaterials, ceramics, supercritical processing, electrochemistry and rare earth elements.
Our team is experienced in collaborative R&D, modelling, life-cycle analysis, IP and licensing, investment analysis, piloting, commissioning, manufacturing operations, legislation and permitting, process optimisation and divestment.
We are particularly strong in the area of green chemistry.
Oakdene Hollins can assist you along the path from concept evaluation, through identifying and assembling the right resources, to develop materials and products, to commercialisation, to rigorous evaluation of the environmental and commercial benefits of your projects. Read more
We have already helped these organisations innovate, evaluate and develop their products and processes.
We have already helped these organisations innovate, evaluate and develop their products and processes.
- Metalysis
- Keele University
- Defra (Nano-technology)
- Technology Strategy Board (diverse portfolio of companies, monitoring , evaluating)
- Lorex Inc
- Thames Waste Management
- Environmental Business Products Ltd
- NWDA (R&D grant application analysis)
- EC’s JRC (IPTS) – textile
- Department for Transport (lanthanides and rare-earths in transport)
- GnoSys UK
- Safetykleen
- Imperial Innovations
- Inertius UK
- C-Tech Innovation
- Cambridge Enterprise Ltd
- BCR Global Textiles
- EPSRC (Green Economy)
- SENER Grupo de Ingeniería SA
- Bridges Community Ventures Ltd
- Palatine Engraving Co Ltd
- Xaar Jet Ltd
- Apax Partners GmBH
- SenterNovem
- Carbon Trust
Services
Market Appraisal
We offer cross discipline teams combining specialist technical staff with economists and input from a business leader. We write reports that are technically robust for audiences in the investment community and senior management.
Technology Appraisal
Within the clean tech, wastes management, chemicals, metals and nanotechnology sectors we offer specialist staff to provide evaluation and comparative studies.
Protocol and Standards Development
Without agreed standards and protocols pricing is difficult, transaction costs higher and investors wary. We bring industry stakeholders together, sometimes from across a supply chain, to develop protocols and new standards that improve markets.
Economic Modelling
An element of many of our market and technology appraisal services, we design and deliver economic models that summarise the impacts of changes in variables such as price, taxes, costs and scale efficiencies. Wherever possible we deliver models in common applications to enable clients to test the underlying assumptions and scenarios.
Lean Manufacturing Projects
Lean manufacturing techniques provide a framework that informs much of our work. We promote performance measurement and benchmarking with industry best practice as key themes of many lean projects and can provide the tools and specialist production staff to advise and lead process improvement.
Financial Impact Assessment
Proposals to change regulation can impact whole industry sectors. We provide analysis of these impacts to support trade associations and their member companies when proposals are being developed.
Management of Research Projects
Since 1995 we have provided technical staff to manage, monitor and evaluate research projects, often those involving collaboration between universities, supply chain companies and a principal funder in the UK or in Europe. Examples include working with ASDA to manage the installation of five self-service refillable retailing systems for fabric conditioner and measuring the business and environmental outcomes of the project. Elsewhere, we provide highly qualified and experienced staff to monitor the management of research projects on behalf of the TSB (Technology Strategy Board).
Ecolabelling Advice
The Europe-wide Ecolabel is being promoted as an independently assessed assurance of eco credentials. The technical evaluation is often detailed and complex; our aim is to assist companies with environmentally positive products and services to understand and meet the requirements. The number of products and services being assessed by our staff as suitable is growing every month. Get in touch if you have a product or service that could qualify.
Carbon Footprinting
In an assessment of the CO2 emissions (and the equivalent global warming gases) of products and services, we provide written analysis using data derived from SimaPro and product specific data defined by ISO standards.
Critical Review of Life Cycle Assessments
We have provided chairmanship and expertise to numerous critical review panels for Life Cycle Assessments. We offer staff trained in the use of SimaPro software and inventory and have particular strengths in the interpretation of impact assessments.
David Parker MEng MBA MIChemE CEnv 