CEO Today UK Awards 2021

About Paul H. Jones Paul H. Jones FRSC is the Director of three successful UK businesses concentrating on the design and development of niche specialty polymers and the manufacture of specialist synthetic resins. He has been in the industry for over 35 years, over which time he has been involved in all aspects of his businesses. Whilst responsible for strategic growth and expansion with the associated time and extensive travel obligations, he has maintained responsibility for research and development throughout his career due to his passion, vision, and particular innovative set of skills. Paul is recognised as being one of the UK’s most dynamic forward-thinking business leaders, having recently won another plethora of awards including a Queen’s Award for innovation, an iChemE global award and an array of supplementary awards for innovation, leadership, and supplier excellence. Paul was also listed in the top 100 innovators and he was recently elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, joining a select group of scientists who have made outstanding contributions to the field of chemistry. In each of his operations, Paul has a core responsibility to determine the strategic direction of the business. Maintaining a dynamic approach to satisfy short-term, and long-term objectives requires the identification of potential hurdles that stem from numerous sources. Nowmore than ever, this includes political, economic, regulatory, and ecological/environmental challenges. The negative impact we have made to the planet requires rectifying, but of course, there are very few people wanting to reduce their standard of living and the comforts they have grown accustomed to. Paul is targeting the development of products that maintain equivalent economic levels and technical performance, with the drive towards a circular economy. The drive for sustainable performance requires addressing on both a micro and macro scale to be successful. Internal management of resources, waste, and chemical processing with the 12 principles of green chemistry firmly in focus, is coupled with the innovative design of polymers from sustainable feedstocks that do not influence the food chain, offer effective yield, and have high bio content. Of course, it would be considered counter-intuitive to develop green products only to find they contain CMR [Carcinogenic, Mutagenic or Toxic for Reproduction] labelling requirements or acute hazards to human health so products are processed to design out these items. Additionally, feedstocks need to be obtained from areas and organisations that abide by acceptable humanitarian and ethical standards. What have been Bitrez’s main achievements over the past 12 months? Over the previous 12 months, I have been involved in a variety of new developments. In accordance with the policy and efforts for compliance with the development of products with an absence of SVHC [Substances of Very High Concern] under both EU-REACH and more recently UK-REACH [Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals] regulations, and the drive for sustainable bio-based derivatives, new chemistry was born to satisfy these targets. We coined the name “Furalkamines” to define this new green bio-based chemistry, being applied as a specialist cross-linking agent or hardener for epoxy resins. These materials alongside some other new products that are also absent of SVHC components are both new technologies that are patent pending. In addition to these two brand new chemistry developments, comes a myriad of enhanced product types including, further bio-based UV curing systems for solvent-free, low energy cure, PFA and specialist Benzoxazines for fire-resistant composite parts that offer excellent FST [Fire, Smoke and Toxicity] performance, and bio epoxy matrix systems for fibre reinforced lightweight vehicles. Aside from new product development, there has been tremendous interest in the new product ranges which are gaining traction in emerging markets. The introduction of the Global Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) by the United Nations brought demand for innovative compliant products to replace materials facing withdrawal or phase out. We continue to embrace the challenge presented by these regulations and 105 CEO TODAY UNITED KINGDOM AWARDS 2021 Design & Manufacturing