Innovation Award finalists

ABP Technology

ABP Technology Ltd is a gaming technology business that turned its innovative ideas to making its packaging plastic-free – now it’s a finalist for the Innovation Award 2019.

Social responsibility is high at the already innovative company in River Street in the town centre. So, it decided to change its packaging to make it 100 per cent free of all plastics.

The project to find alternatives began in the first half of 2017 and by March, 2018, the development team discovered a method of integrating plastic-free packaging without compromising the protection of the internal product.

Now, every STEALTH and 4Gamers product delivered into retail is supplied with completely plastic-free packaging.

Commented Product Marketing Manager Marc Pogorzelec: “We knew it was the right time to speed up our ongoing project and switch our packaging.

“We’re proud of these changes and have sold over a million units without any plastic packaging at all.

Market Place, Bolton

A SHOPPING centre which found a sustainable solution to the problem of food waste is a finalist for the Innovation Award 2019.

Market Place in Bolton underwent a multi-million pound redevelopment of its Grade 2 listed Victorian Market Hall and Vaults, reducing the loading bay and waste storage area by half to create new restaurant units and leisure space.

This meant very limited space for the management of waste streams and increased restaurant food waste.

After months of research and consultations, centre management brought in a BioHiTech food waste digester. This mixes food with enzymes, heats it, digests and breaks it down into a liquid which is safely discharged to the sewer as wastewater.

Commented Centre Manager Nikki Wilson-Cook: “In a world where our impact on the environment is increasingly scrutinised, being at the forefront of waste management is a huge priority. We’re thrilled that our efforts have been recognised.”

R&D Tax Solutions

A BOLTON firm of tax experts which has developed an online portal helping clients track the progress of claims is a finalist for the Innovation Award 2019.

R & D Tax Solutions, based in Chorley New Road, has developed the portal to collect all relevant information in one place including costs, ongoing and past claims, allowing the client to view this.

Documents can be uploaded, information updated in a more efficient way and it can also be accessed by mobile phone.

The portal integrates with the firm’s internal bespoke CRM, ensuring maximum security. Once all the information is assembled, the CRM automatically generates a draft report.

Commented Claim Coordinator Becky Mahon: “We’re thrilled to be a finalist for this award against so many other great competitors.

“We are always striving to be innovative and give our clients a better experience, so we’re grateful for our hard work to be noticed.”

Thrive

A COMPANY which transformed a dated Sixties’ building in Farnworth’s Market Street into a modern office block is a finalist for the Innovation Award 2019.

Thrive invested £800,000 in the project to bring co-working and serviced office space - prevalent in big city locations - to Farnworth and Bolton in a bid to offer the same exciting working opportunities to smaller town centre locations.

The 16,000 sq ft Miller House has been turned into a contemporary, stylish Thrive building featuring state-of-the-art facilities, fully-equipped meeting rooms with the latest technology, high-speed internet and WiFi, modern break-out areas and an onsite gym.

Commented Managing Director Matthew Settle: “I’m delighted to announce that Miller House is now full. We have 30 different companies, employing around 90 people, operating from the building.

“We hope our success, and the ongoing work around the town centre master-plan, will help attract lots more investment into the area.”

Radic8 Ltd

A LOCAL company addressing the global problem and biggest environmental threat of air pollution is a finalist for the Innovation Award 2019.

Radic8 Ltd is based in Bolton but its range of clean air technologies is currently the highest certified of its kind in the world. Since launching its product range in 2018, the company now has representation in 20 countries and is working with many organisations globally on implementing its technologies in various sectors.

It has recently become the first technology partners of the Union for International Cancer Control – the world’s biggest membership organisation for cancer associations.

Jointly, they are putting together an initiative called www.cancercair.org protecting people with compromised immune systems by reducing the risk of secondary infections.

Commented CEO Richard Greenwood: “It’s great to be developing the highest certified clean air technology and what many people don’t know is that we are doing it here in Bolton.”

ExcluSec Group

A BOLTON security company which has implemented three innovative ideas in the last two years is a finalist for the Innovation Award 2019.

The ExcluSec Group Ltd had a complete re-branding, formerly being ExcluSec Security Solutions Ltd, thanks to significant growth and demand for facilities management services from existing clients.

Due to the worrying rise in acid attacks nationally, it has also deployed acid attacks’ kits in its mobile response vehicles and during events.

The company has also deployed defibrillators in its head-office reception, in its mobile response vehicles and has donated four machines to the Hand on Heart charity for local schools.

Commented Group Quality & Compliance Officer Michelle Bancroft: “It’s fantastic to be recognised for our innovative implementations such as our complete re-branding. This was a significant financial investment for us. However, we know that we need to move with the times and not rest on our laurels”