Plextek Consulting and Hethel Innovation collaboration to inspire better cross-pollination of technology ideas

Multi-sector product design and development consultancies like Plextek are "innovation hubs" where the transfer of sector skills happens under a single roof. Hethel Innovation and its innovation hub Hethel Engineering Centre are dedicated to supporting the growth and success of high performance engineering and manufacturing companies. Its remit involves developing new ways to exploit the innovation potential in businesses and harness the innovation power of the private and public sectors. This also includes delivering support services to help with businesses development skills, access to finance, mentoring network development and assisting with supply chain development.

“Using existing technology and applying it differently can be a cheaper and easier way to market than 're-inventing the wheel'. However a lack of recognition and awareness of these processes means that many entrepreneurs are looking for innovation in the wrong places and pursuing new product design ineffectively,” comments Dr Jon Lewis, Chief Innovation Officer at Plextek Consulting. “There is a common misconception that great ideas come from a blank sheet of paper, but this is simply not true - good developers will come up with better, smarter product designs if they know what they are trying to achieve and where they can look for existing know-how.

“The best ideas require information, not just inspiration, and this information should be drawn from a much wider pool of sector experience. Partnering with Hethel Innovation creates a fantastic collaborative platform to engage with other public and private business and inspire true innovation, breakthrough technologies and ideas for our customers.”

"Hethel Innovation is delighted to be working in partnership with Plextek Consulting. It will be through creating innovation led ‘Hubs’ that bring together the strengths of both the private and public sectors – with academia / R&D institutions – that we will build sustainable knowledge based economies, that will drive UK innovation and therefore job and wealth creation," explained Simon Coward, Managing Director at Hethel Innovation. "Innovation led Hubs can be spaces where businesses, both large and small, can ‘experiment’ and develop their ideas and concepts. Often working collaboratively with their customers, supply chains and staff – as well as businesses in different sectors – and even their competitors."

As part of the collaboration Henk Koopmans, CMO at Plextek Consulting, has been elected on to the board of Hethel Innovation.