Transforming Foundation Industries Network+ has allocated £1.4million to 34 small projects of up to 6 months duration. These projects seek innovative solutions to support Foundation Industries, and to assist them in adopting new ideas and working practices, boosting sustainability and manufacturing capabilities.
A brochure presenting summaries and impact from Calls 1 – 5 is available here. Videos presenting some projects are also available on YouTube.
Energy Efficiency Themed Projects

THERMCAST: Valorisation of foundry sands as medium-high temperature waste heat recovery materials
Dr Argyrios Anangostopoulos
Research Fellow at University of Birmingham

Investigation of a Flat Heat Pipe for high temperature waste heat recovery from metal slabs
Prof. Hussam Jouhara
Professor at Brunel University London

Improved Energy Efficiency of Float Glass Production
Dr Peter Green
Senior Lecturer at University of Liverpool

Prof. Zushu Li
Reader at University of Warwick
Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Themed Projects

Sustainable Investment Assurance Model: SIAM
Dr Stephen Spooner
Senior Research Officer at Swansea University

Valorisation of Metallurgical Wastes through Chemically Bonded Ceramics (VMW-CBC)
Dr Sam Adu-Amankwah
Lecturer at University of Leeds

Dr Argyrios Anagnostopoulos
Research Fellow at University of Birmingham

Sustainable Replacements for Coal Tar Pitch Binders
Dr Cristina Valles
Academic Research Fellow at University of Manchester

Dr Silvia Tedesco
Senior Lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University

Dr Xinyuan Ke
Lecturer at University of Bath
Digitalisation Themed Projects

High temperature optical fibre coatings for next generation gas emission monitoring
Dr Ronak Janani
Sheffield Hallam University

Accurate emissivity characterisation of metals from near infrared to long wave infrared
Dr Matthew Hobbs
University of Sheffield

Introducing high-temperature hyperspectral electronics to the foundation industries
Prof. Jon Willmott
University of Sheffield

Micromachined based Multi-Sensing Solution toward Digitalisation of Foundation Industries
Dr. Amal Hajjaj
Loughborough University

Physics-informed digital twins for industrial heating processes (twin4heat)
Dr Yukun Hu
University College London

Sustainable advanced manufacturing via ML-assisted exploitation of sensing and data infrastructure
Dr. Iñaki Esnaola
University of Sheffield
Early Career Researcher Funding Call

Low-temperature densification of Al2O3 through a modified cold-sintering process
Dr. Edoardo Mantheakis
University of Sheffield

Developing biocomposite materials as low-carbon alternatives to ceramic tiles
Dr. Alessia Andrews
University of Manchester

Element-based mapping of waste and by-product material flows for industrial symbiosis
Dr. Alastair Marsh and Dr. Michal Drewniok
University of Leeds

Improving surface interactions of waste plastics as grain substitutes within concrete
Dr James Railton
Northumbria University

Ensuring a sustainable future for recycling in the paper value chain (SRPV)
Dr Hassan Ahmad
Brunel University London

Sustainable asphalt pavements with recycled concrete aggregate and waste glass
Dr Haopeng Wang
University of Nottingham

Circularising the Pressure Moulding of Ceramics
Dr Ahu Gumrah Dumanli-Parry
University of Manchester
Enablers of Transformation

Overcoming Adoption Barriers of Next Generation Processing Technologies in Ceramic/Glass Industries
Dr Taofeeq Ibn-Mohammed &
Dr. Claire Dancer
University of Warwick

Enabling business models innovation for sustainability in the UK glass sector
Dr Luis Torres
University of Nottingham

Circular business model innovation in the UK cement, glass, and ceramics industries
Dr Maria Karafyllia
University of Nottingham

Co-designing a goal interdependency method for deciding corporate sustainability strategy
Dr Rebecca Pieniazek
University of Leeds

Can workforce diversity stimulate transformation towards a more sustainable future?
Prof. Jennifer Tomlinson
University of Leeds