Pictured above: (l-r) Luke Thomas, receiving a Lord Stafford
Innovation in Development Award earlier this year for his
'Chameleon' packaging system and Phil Clarke, Student Enterprise
Adviser at the Hive, Nottingham Trent University and mentor to
Luke
A local entrepreneur is seeing his business go from strength to
strength, thanks to the development of an innovative idea he had
when he was a student at Nottingham Trent University.
Luke Thomas, founder and Managing Director of LBT Design, has
developed a multipurpose recyclable packaging system called
Chameleon. Once opened, the pack converts simply into a
presentation container for its contents, therefore providing an
additional use for packaging material that would normally have been
thrown away.
The development of Chameleon was made possible as a result of a
£12,320 Pathfinder grant, funded by East Midlands Development
Agency (emda) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Originally designed for the confectionery market, the potential
applications for Chameleon have now been expanded to include the
medical field. Through collaboration with Nottingham Trent and De
Montfort Universities, East Midlands Healthcare and Bioscience iNet
and the East Midlands Development Agency, the product has been
adapted for use in sharps disposal [disposal of used needles] in
hospitals, helping reduce the threat of superbugs.
In September 2010, the Chameleon product also won the Lord
Stafford Innovation in Development award. Luke said: "Receiving the
Pathfinder grant from emda enabled LBT Design to file a UK Patent
for Chameleon. It also enabled us to undertake a variety of
development activities to help evolve the initial concept and
investigate multiple markets, such as possible opportunities in the
camping and leisure markets."
As a result of being able to research alternative markets the
company has met a variety of manufacturers regarding multiple
applications for Chameleon, one of which they are currently
negotiating a licensing agreement with. Once the deal is finalised
they will look to use the revenue to pursue other applications.
Luke also believes that there are many potential new
applications for it. "We are very confident about the future of the
Chameleon," said Luke. "One head of a packaging company that viewed
it actually said that he had been working for 20 years to come up
with something similar to Chameleon without success."
emda's Dr. Lisa Thomas, who manages the Pathfinder programme,
said: "The Chameleon product is just the kind of exciting and
innovative development that the Pathfinder grant was designed to
support. The Pathfinder has already enabled the company to find new
customers and identify new markets for its products, which will
enable it to develop and grow, creating new bioscience jobs in the
East Midlands."
The development of the Chameleon has also helped LBT Design to
establish important links with organisations that can help it
develop in future according to Luke. He said: "Working on the
Chameleon has also enabled us to benefit from working with experts
at Nottingham Trent University to develop it and with De Montfort
University to evolve it, as well as with multiple manufacturers and
support organisations such as the Healthcare and Bioscience iNet. I
am sure that these contacts will prove invaluable to LBT Design in
the future, as we look to develop and market new products."