Sep 16 2005
UK recycling businesses now have additional support to help them grow and meet their commercial goals following the launch of two new schemes by WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme) today.
WRAP’s Interim Manager Scheme offers professional support to help companies with a variety of business challenges on a short term basis. WRAP’s Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Support Scheme, meanwhile, will help companies understand and identify their Intellectual Property, and support them in securing the relevant protection.
Speaking at the Recycling and Waste Management Exhibition in Birmingham, WRAP’s Director of Business and Procurement Programmes Steve Creed said: “With the UK recycling sector growing rapidly, many small or medium sized enterprises have opportunities for growth or the potential to develop innovative processing technologies or new recycled products.
“However, many need additional management expertise or support with protecting their Intellectual Property (IP) to help achieve their goals. These two schemes will help both established and new businesses in the sector to achieve real technology, product and capacity developments that could have a huge impact on the markets for recyclable materials.”
The Interim Manager Scheme, developed in consultation with industry bodies, will provide financial support to help businesses recruit highly skilled executives on a short term basis. This enables greater access to interim managers with experience of the commercial issues the company is facing. This could include help to market a new product, improve financial procedures or see the business through a new phase of growth.
Bob Chambers, Deputy Chairman of the Institute of Interim Management, commented: "Interim managers have the right mix of professional skills and experience to produce fast and effective results for growing businesses. They can help deliver the growth in recycling capacity that is the focus of this WRAP initiative.”
The IPR Support Scheme has been developed in consultation with the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents (CIPA) and 12 of CIPA’s members have been appointed to act as advisors on the scheme.
CIPA President Michael Harrison said: “IP is an idea or innovation which can be protected by law from being copied. By protecting their IP, companies can maintain their competitive advantage and become a more attractive investment proposition.
“Promoting IP protection using a scheme like this should help to grow the recycling industry. Innovations, like new processes or products, are the driving force of industry growth. Protecting these ideas provides an incentive for people to come up with more.” The schemes are open to small or medium sized companies recycling one or more of the materials within WRAP’s remit. Companies can call WRAP on 01296 819611 for application forms.