A two-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership between Strathclyde University and JWF Process Solutions Ltd has been awarded the highest grade of 'Outstanding' by the KTP Grading Panel for meeting its objectives.
The aim of the KTP, which took place from 2021-2023, was to support business model transition from sensor supply to provision of a software-based data and information service sales solution, by embedding operational capability and management expertise, enabling future growth through efficient implementation and execution of business improvement processes.
As a business JWF measures and analyses industrial process - historically, it was focused on the supply of process instrumentation and metering but the business model was transformed by providing and analysing data using the cloud. Working with Strathclyde, new operational capability and technology was embedded into the company, resulting in increased revenue and a greater potential for growth.
KTP associate and Strathclyde University graduate Calum Mortimer said, "The KTP was a perfect fit for JWF because what they wanted to do was so different to what the business had been set up to do. We'd not done a KTP before and the appeal really was that expert help."
Dr Steve Paton, who supported Calum and the KTP, said, "From my perspective as an academic, the knowledge I'm gaining from this is how businesses can digitise, how they can embrace new technology and then offer that new technology into the market. There's a lot of impact to be created because this knowledge can then form how other businesses work so it's action research."
Director of JWF Robert Allan said, "We were a sales organisation: we sold measurement, we sold instrumentation. We now manage the lifecycles of those products so the business is transformed. What the KTP's done is really given us a direction so we're very clear on what we provide, we're very clear on where we want to go and we're really clear on our future business model."
Calum added, "My skills have grown massively as a developer over the two years because I have had the support of the University, the support of the company, and the flexibility to take ownership of a project. Coming out of the KTP I'm going straight into a management role within the company directly under the board of directors. I'm now heading up a whole function in the business."
Calum was supported at Strathclyde by Dr Steve Paton of the Department of Management Science. In addition to Dr Paton, expertise was drawn from other academics from two departments of the University - Professor Harry Sminia and Professor Lesley Walls from the Management Science Department and William Wallace from the Department of Computer and Information Sciences. The project was supported by the West of Scotland KTP Centre and funded by Innovate UK.
KTP connects businesses that have an innovation idea with the academic expertise to help deliver it. Right now, around 800 businesses, 100 knowledge bases (universities and other research organisations) and over 800 graduates are involved in KTPs – collaborative, transformative, three-way partnerships creating positive impact and driving innovation.
The West of Scotland KTP Centre is a collaboration with Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow Caledonian University, University of Glasgow, and University of Strathclyde. The Centre has over 27 years' experience developing and supporting high quality KTPs and is recognised as a UK centre of excellence. Their dedicated KTP team supports partners from idea to impact.
For more information on KTPs at Strathclyde go to https://www.strath.ac.uk/business/faculty/engagewithouracademics/knowledgetransferpartnerships/