KTP Associate – Coppice Alupack

The University of Wales Trinity St. David, through the Wales Institute of Science and Art (WISA) is seeking a Knowledge Transfer Associate to work in conjunction with industry partner Coppice Alupack, and part funded by Innovate UK.

Coppice Alupack are currently based in Blackmill Bridgend. This role provides a unique opportunity for career development, where the post-holder will receive personalised support through KTP mentoring and coaching, and have access to a wide range of training and development modules to enhance your skills.

– THE ROLE –
This is a fantastic and unique opportunity to design, develop and introduce improved systems and processes to deliver enhanced quality, sustainability and manufacturing capability for aluminium foil packaging, establishing Coppice as a supplier of choice and ensuring long term viability within South Wales.

By bringing together specialised knowledge and expertise, the project seeks to identify and resolve key issues that have hindered the company’s growth, encouraging a culture of innovation. By applying advanced metallurgical insights to gain a more comprehensive understanding of material composition and mechanical characteristics, Coppice aims to develop products that are better suited to meet future market requirements.

The challenges faced by the associate are multifaceted, reflecting the need to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. On the theoretical knowledge side, associates must translate complex research and theoretical frameworks into actionable insights that can be directly applied to solve coppice industrial problems, which need to be communicated easily and effectively to operational teams. From a practical industrial perspective, associates are tasked with integrating insights into existing workflows and systems, involving significant organisational change, balancing the need to maintain productivity and quality during transitions.

The project aims to support sustainable growth by increasing market share through a deeper
understanding of materials and improved production capabilities. These enhancements will help reduce systemic quality issues by a target of 10%, a common challenge in the industry. The project is expected to increase productivity, achieving efficiency gains of up to 5% which would increase sustainability and financially benefit the business.

Coppice will establish an unique understanding of metallurgy within the industry, by studying material properties and their impact on production quality. The goal is to optimise material usage, reduce waste, and maintain high product quality
standards, leveraging UWTSD expertise and resource. This collaboration will address a knowledge gap in the industry and reduce the rate of rejected production trays by producing reliable, high-quality aluminium foil containers, specifically targeting the issue of surface blackening and splitting. The relationship between Coppice and UWTSD not only offers a mutually beneficial exchange of
knowledge, innovation, and growth but also creates an opportunity to promote sustainability and social responsibility.