HTP Graphics

Arvia™ is "at the forefront of offering solutions to some of the planet's most pressing environmental challenges". Headquartered at Daresbury's Science and Innovation Campus, it has well developed in-house laboratory treatability capabilities, as well as access to world-renowned research facilities at the University. Its foundations are rooted in the history of individuals, particularly its founder, Dr Nigel Brown and his relationship with the University and industries in the north west. Dr Brown pursued a career in chemical engineering which led to an interest in environmentally sensitive production technologies for industrial materials, and later water and wastewater treatment. An existing relationship between his then employer 1 and UMIST led to his involvement in the early 1990s with a new MSc course in integrated pollution management. Interest in the technologies led to his decision to become an independent consultant, allowing him to to develop a novel process as part of his MSc course. This project – to develop an environmentally friendly process to manufacture carbon-based materials – had been originally started by Dr Brown but not pursued by a previous employer. This was developed through two SMART 2 awards which eventually enabled the successful development of a pilot plant. Changes in the market aborted the commercial development of this project but then a consultancy project with Rentokil on the decontamination of rainwater run-off led to an idea which combined the knowledge of water treatment; the carbon material from previous work and electrochemistry. This combination led to an innovation in how to reactivate the material used in water decontamination. Arvia Technology Challenging the world's environmental issues 20 UNIVERSITY SPIN-OUT 1 Simon-Hartley, part of the Simon Engineering Group, which had sponsored Environmental Technology Centre centre in the Dept of Chemical Engineering in the University.

• Cover