NORTH West Regional College’s Business Support Centre (BSC) has announced a new two-year knowledge transfer partnership.
The project with Micon Distribution in Lisburn — funded by InnovateUK, Invest NI and Micon Distribution — is worth over £100,000, and aims to see through the development of a world leading stove for the domestic market. The Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) help businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK knowledge base.
To date the NWRC Business Support Centre, which has been operational for more than four years, has supported over 450 firms with support worth over £1.4m via various programmes such as Invest NI Innovation Vouchers and the Department of Employment and Learning (DEL) funded InnovateUs and Skills Focus programmes.
Dr Fergal Tuffy, technology innovation manager at the NWRC’s BSC, said: “Micon Distribution Limited is a leading UK and Ireland distributor to the fireplace industry, plumber’s merchants, hardware, gas and electrical Retailers with gas fires, multi-fuel, stoves, wood-burning stoves, electrical fires and fireplaces.
“What we’re looking to achieve through this knowledge transfer partnership is accessible, quality research that will lead to the development of a world leading stove that will enable Micon to expand their business and compete more effectively on a global scale.”
Michael Farnan, managing director of Micon Distribution, said: “This is an exciting time for us as a company, we are keen to establish a research and development department and are now seeking to recruit a high-calibre graduate who will work with us, under the guidance of the NWRC, to undertake and deliver a project with the aim of designing a highly efficient multi fuel stove with draft settings to enable a full grate burn time in excess of 24 hours.”