23rd March 2009

Eminate Celebrates Products' Success with Top-Flight Partners

Natto, a food supplement to tackle bone disease, is one of three new eminate-developed products to be celebrated at a gathering of business leaders and academics on Thursday 26th March at BioCity Nottingham. eminate, a subsidiary of The University of Nottingham, will be joined by development partners Honda Trading Europe Limited, Leatherhead Food International and The University of Nottingham to mark the successful completion of product trials to benefit the food technology and healthcare sectors.

With backing from the government-funded Technology Strategy Board and the collaborative support of leading commercial and academic partners, eminate has taken just fifteen months to bring three products – Natto Capsules, Ultra-fine Salt and machinery wear-resistant coating – closer to market. The gathering at BioCity on 26th March will enable eminate, the Technology Strategy Board, the University of Nottingham, Honda Trading Europe Limited and Leatherhead Food International to describe how it has been possible to translate technical know-how quickly and efficiently into product reality.

“We have created a new way of doing business,” says eminate CEO Dr Roger Carline who joined the company last year. “By setting clear objectives, defining partner roles and identifying market opportunities we are achieving the purposes for which eminate was established. We are now ready to share this innovative business model with other leading public and private organisations in the East Midlands.” From their BioCity facilities, eminate provides a range of advanced technologies and services focused on materials for the healthcare and food sectors. Access to seven of the region’s top Universities has made a real difference to the rate of progress. The University of Nottingham has been instrumental in the development of the machinery wear-resistant coating.

Dr Richard Masterman, Director Research Innovation Services, The University of Nottingham and Chair of eminate says: “This is an exciting development which draws on the University’s excellent research base. eminate provides new ways of bridging between research and industry focusing on innovative product development.” A commercial partnership with the Food Division of Honda Trading Europe Limited will accelerate the commercialisation of the Natto Capsule through access to global market links.

Honda Trading Europe Managing Director Toshiyuki Sakakibara says: “Honda Trading has a firm target, even a dream, to bring the health benefits of natto to the wider public. We are excited about the realisation of this dream, and by the opportunities we see in working closely with eminate towards further product development. We congratulate eminate in achieving commercial supply of Natural Natto Vitamin K2 within a demanding time frame, and are very pleased to be part of this strategic alliance.” The third eminate product, Ultra-fine Salt, has undergone trials in bread production with the assistance of major food technology research organisation Leatherhead Food International.

Alice Pegg, Head of Food Innovation at Leatherhead Food International says: “LFI has been working in the area of healthy food and snacks for many years. Our research on salt showed a link between salt particle size and saltiness perception, which has the potential of reducing salt levels in products. LFI and eminate are working in partnership to develop this further, using eminate’s novel manufacturing process and LFI’s application knowledge and food industry links, enabling this to be communicated effectively into the food industry, and help move scientific developments into the factory, and on to benefit the consumer.” eminate will encourage guests at the BioCity gathering to adopt this partnership business model to help generate new products and processes: “The East Midlands has an excellent base of innovative companies, who can benefit from access to our in-house facilities, academic excellence and international partners,” says Roger Carline.

More information
www.eminate.co.uk

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