Innovate UK CEO and LCR Metro Mayor visit LYVA Labs client Heap & Partners

Yesterday, Indro Mukerjee, CEO of Innovate UK, and Dean Cook, MBA, FRSB, Executive Director for Place at Innovate UK, visited Heap & Partners Ltd with Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, John Whaling, Lead Officer – Innovation and Commericalisation at Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Paul Tallon, Innovation Manager - Advanced Manufacturing at LYVA Labs and Lisa Ashby-Dowling, Commercial Broker at Growth Platform.

Founded in 1866, Heap & Partners Ltd in Birkenhead, is a designer & manufacturer of industrial valves and instrumentation equipment. Funding from the Innovate UK Launchpad programme, and support from the LYVA Labs led LCR Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Network, has enabled the business to improve its R&D output and productivity through the development of a new range of advanced material hygienic diaphragms that can be commercially manufactured in the UK.

Liverpool City Region was the focus of a national Innovate UK pilot Launchpad on advanced manufacturing, themed towards digital technologies, supply-chain resilience, and net zero outcomes, co-created in partnership with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. LYVA Labs were awarded the role as local innovation cluster manager and have subsequently worked with a number of advanced manufacturing companies and delivered network events to showcase R&D in the sector.

Paul Tallon, Innovation Manager - Advanced Manufacturing at LYVA Labs:

"Heap & Partners are an excellent example of a business engaged with conventional manufacturing processes becoming more agile, competitive and resilient by investing in research and development. Being part of LYVA Labs' Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Network has augmented and supported a variety of important initiatives at Heaps through requirements capture support and connecting them to research experts in materials science and testing at the University of Liverpool and Materials Innovation Factory . We are looking forward to exploring other exciting opportunities with the team at Heaps linked to automation, AI, and additive manufacturing. "

We would like to thank Andrew Will of Heap & Partners Ltd, and his team for their warm welcome and showcasing how the programme can provide that boost to businesses wherever they are on their innovation journey.