Engineers in the East Midlands are being invited to take part in
a free event that will give them the chance to demonstrate how
their skills could help the region's food and drink businesses
overcome production challenges.
The Food and Drink Innovation Network (iNet) is staging an
iShowcase event on March 23rd which aims to bring together
engineers and food producers from around the region.
Organised under the Championing Innovation between the
Engineering and Food Sectors (ChIEFS) project, it's an opportunity
for engineers to meet food processors, understand their needs and
explain how their businesses could help design and create
innovative solutions to problems experienced by food firms.
The event, which is being held at East Midlands Conference
Centre, University Park, Nottingham, from 1pm to 5pm, is part of a
day of Innovation Showcase events organised by the Food and Drink
iNet, which encourages innovation in the sector by providing
support and promoting and co-ordinating innovation activity for
businesses, universities and individuals working in the food and
drink sector in the East Midlands.
Funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Food and Drink iNet
is one of four regional iNets that has developed an effective
network to link academic and private sector expertise and knowledge
with local food and drink business innovation needs.
In the morning, the iNet will be holding a Get Connected session
for food and drink firms which will focus on the current support
and funding for innovation that's available in the East Midlands,
illustrate how firms could become part of the innovation network in
the region, and provide an update on key industry issues.
This is followed by a session in the afternoon for engineers and
food businesses, which will introduce the ChIEFS project, give
examples of successful collaborations between engineering firms and
food and drink businesses that have already occurred, and provide
an update on the latest advances in hygienic design.
"The ChIEFS project aims to develop the East Midlands' position
as a leading region for food process engineering, and this event
for engineers will provide the perfect opportunity for them to meet
local food producers, discover the challenges that they face, and
hopefully team up to jointly develop some innovative solutions,"
said Richard Worrall, interim director of the Food and Drink
iNet.
"In the past, the ChIEFS project has helped several engineering
and food businesses to create mutually beneficial business
relationships, and this event could be the springboard for future
successful links. We hope that as many engineering firms in the
region as possible take advantage of this free opportunity."
To book a free place at the iShowcase event or for more
information, call 0115 9758810, or visit the events section of
www.eminnovation.org.uk/food
The Food and Drink iNet aims to build on the tradition of
innovation in the food and drink industry in the region by helping
to create opportunities to develop knowledge and skills, and to
help research, develop and implement new products, markets,
services and processes. It is managed by a consortium, led by the
Food and Drink Forum and including Food Processing Faraday,
Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the
University of Nottingham. It is based at Southglade Food Park,
Nottingham, with advisors covering the East Midlands region.