MCP Launches New Initiative on Consultancy

16/09/2002

The Materials Characterisation & Processing Centre (MCP) of the Division of Chemical Engineering has taken a giant step of strengthening its links with the industry for effective services. The Centre recently registered its MCP Consulting Services® (trading under UniQuest – the consultancy arm of the University) and produced an informative consultancy brochure to market its expertise and facilities nationally and internationally.

“Requests for our services have increased tremendously within the last few years, and we took this as a signal to reorganise things and be more innovative” explained Dr Peter Halley, the Director of the MCP Centre. “The success of our CRC-sponsored research on biodegradable plastics, which laid the foundation for the commercial venture Plantic Technologies Ltd, points to what can be achieved through University-Industry interactions” he continued. Many research studies are known to have spun-off from consultancies, and the MCP Consulting Service initiative will contribute to strengthening MCP’s research capabilities.   Dr Peter Sopade coordinates consultancies at the Centre, and worked with John Gralton (a former researcher in the Centre) to put the new brochure together. He explained that the brochure targets the polymer, food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries in Australia and Asia-Pacific region. “In fact, any company, organisation or research group that needs to characterise its materials or ingredients and/or do some preliminary processing, will find our facilities useful and expertise invaluable” the coordinator emphasised. With more than $2 million worth of equipment ranging from modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC), Karl Fischer moisture tester, rheometers (ARES and RDSII), Haake™ minilab (mini-extruder), Eurolab™ 19 twin-screw extruder, GPC, to injection moulding machine, the Centre is fully equipped to provide quality and prompt services at moderate costs. The Centre has consulted for companies such as Cadbury, Moldflow, Aortech, Capilano, and Hairtech, and worked with companies in Philippines and Taiwan.

Further information can be obtained from the coordinator Dr Peter Sopade (p.sopade@cheque.uq.edu.au) on (07) 336 53931.