ICIS starts 2016 search for innovation winners

LONDON (ICIS)–ICIS on Monday begins its annual search for innovation excellence in the chemical industry with the launch of the ICIS Innovation Awards 2016.

This year the awards will for the first time recognise individual as well as company performance in innovation, as with new lead sponsor Elsevier R&D Solutions it is introducing the search for the Alpha Innovator of the Year, which will recognise two leading individuals.  

The awards, now in their 13^th year, are designed to recognise outstanding technological and business innovation in the chemical industry.

Distribution company US Chemicals continues as a category sponsor, supporting the Innovation with Best Benefit for Environment and Sustainability category. ExxonMobil Chemical also stays on board, sponsoring the category for Best Innovation by a Small or Medium-sized Enterprise.

John Baker, ICIS Innovation Awards manager at ICIS, comments:  “We are delighted to be able to expand the awards this year in partnership with our new lead sponsor, Elsevier R&D Solutions, to reward individual as well as corporate successes.

“The awards continue to grow and gain industry support and last year attracted a record level of entries. We once again look forward to highlighting the very best of innovation in the chemical industry.”

Christina Valimaki, senior director for chemical industry marketing at Elsevier R&D Solutions, and also a member of the ICIS Innovation Awards judging panel, comments that: “We’re in a difficult market with unyielding cost pressures, product proliferation and regulatory scrutiny.

“In this environment, we believe in empowering those who are pioneering innovative approaches to business, the environment and sustainability. Elsevier R&D Solutions is therefore thrilled to support this work with leading chemistry decision tools and scientific databases, and to work with ICIS this year promoting awareness about the important work of this year’s roster of winners.”

There are four company categories to enter: Best Product Innovation, Best Process Innovation, Best Innovation by a Small or Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) and Innovation with Best Benefit for Environment and Sustainability. The new individual Alpha Innovator of the Year Award will honour two researchers for outstanding contributions in two areas: New product development/process optimisation and Environment and sustainability.

The ICIS Innovation Awards and the Alpha Innovator of the Year Award are open to entry from today, with a deadline for entries of 30 June 2016. The winners will be announced in October 2016.

For more information on this year’s Call for Entries and on previous winners, click here.