Frome company Protomax Plastics, which recycles waste plastic and turns it into boards used in construction, is going head-to-head with four top UK businesses next month in a prestigious competition in a bid to become a major Marks & Spencer supplier.
Protomax founder and proprietor Nick Stillwell, and his small team at their factory on Vallis Way trading estate, will battle it out for a contract with the multinational retailer at Ecobuild 2017 at ExCeL London on 7th to 9th March.
Ecobuild will give Protomax significant visibility to large audiences as the finalists duel it out on the main arena stage.
A delighted Stillwell, whose Protomax Plastics has been established in Frome for almost five years and has been chosen by Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud to be one of his Green Heroes at the Grand Designs Live exhibitions for the past two years, said, “We are really up against the big boys and it is a great honour and a tremendous opportunity for us to showcase the our work and products.
“Our boards are available through Amari Plastics distribution outlets.
“We are a team of only seven and for a small business it is amazing and a real privilege that our products have been recognised in such a way and would be brilliant for us, for Frome and for the South West generally.”
The four Protomax opponents in the M&S competition are:
• Arup and Airedale, with their innovative Hybrid Coil Unit heating and cooling system that requires half the amount of infrastructure,
• Organic Response with its fully retrofittable ‘plug & play’ PIR lighting system that has taken inspiration from shoals of fish and requires no wiring or commissioning,
• CBES with its Mistral Air ‘dry system’ fridge unit that reduces CO2 gas emissions and ‘cold aisle’ syndrome,
• IES with its simulation-based control software tool that could help to reduce the performance gap across a building portfolio.
Imogen Cust, engineering research and development manager for property, development and facilities management at M&S said, “As per previous years, we have continued to see a truly fantastic range of innovative solutions in this year’s Big Innovation Pitch.
“It’s great to see UK inventors and manufactured products solving problems which have the potential to address the energy challenge across the wider construction industry, as well as help us meet our ambitious targets. We are really looking forward to the final day of judging at Ecobuild and to choosing our next new supplier of engineering innovation.”
Martin Hurn, brand director at Ecobuild added, “The level of entries and some of the real game-changing ideas we’ve seen during the judging process is real testament to the talent we have in the UK and how these can be used and adapted to meet wider industry issues.”
Pictured: Protomax founder Nick Stillwell (right) with Kevin McCloud from Channel 4’s ‘Grand Designs’
