The Marine Innovation Service (MIS) provides technical support and access to facilities and expertise for the marine industry in areas like marine technology, materials processing, design and prototyping. MIS helps businesses through bespoke projects to develop new products, tackle challenges, open opportunities, and enhance systems to improve business performance. Case studies show how MIS has helped companies with projects like designing a dinghy using composite materials, resin infusing a crab boat hull, and assisting with a large scale resin infusion of a multihull. MIS is funded by the European Regional Development Fund to provide 100% funded support to eligible businesses in Cornwall through to June 2015.

1. Access Funding to
Develop Your Business
Deborah Bennetts
Knowledge Exchange Manager
Cornwall College/Marine Innovation Service

2. What is the Marine Innovation Service?
• The Marine Innovation Service (MIS) provides technical
support to the marine industry in the following areas:
• Marine technology
• Materials/ Processing - particularly composite materials
(resin infusion and closed-mould processes)
• Design and prototyping – support with CAD/CAM, CNC and
prototype development
• Marine Science
• Support essentially provides access to facilities, expertise
(1:1) and workshops/ events

3. Business Benefits:
Bespoke projects to…
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Develop new/ improved products
Tackle existing/ future challenges
Open up new opportunities
Access new technologies
Enhance systems, processes & production techniques
Improve business performance and profitability
Gain competitive advantage

4. Case Study 1: Composite Integration
www.composite-integration.co.uk

5. Composite Integration:
Dinghy Pattern
• Project: collaboration on design of 3m dinghy to be built in
closed-mould FRP processes.
• Design brief set by MIS Manager in consultation with Stephen
Leonard-Williams (CI).
• Designed by second year engineering diploma students at
Falmouth Marine School.
• Dec 12 - Pattern work and first mould completed at the Marine
School.
• Outcomes - refinement of resin infusion processes, materials
testing, demos and collaborative training.

6. Case Study 2: Cornish Crabbers
www.cornishcrabbers.co.uk

7. Cornish Crabbers - Crabber 12:
Small Scale Resin Infusion
• Project: to resin infuse a new 12ft dinghy hull.
• Project management plan - key activities, timeframes and
milestones.
• Workshop-based, practical resin infusion session for the Cornish
Crabbers project team.
• MIS team and Composite Integration Ltd provided hands-on
support to infuse the first hull at the company premises in Rock.
• Outcomes - first voyage Dec 11, launched at London Boat Show
January 12.

9. Case Study 3: Multimarine Manufacturing
www.multimarine.co.uk

10. Multimarine: Rapier 550
Large Scale Resin Infusion
• Project: to support with the first large scale resin infusion at the company
premises (kit and expertise*).
• Hand mixing impractical - surface area of 285m2 (larger than a tennis
court).
• 7 hours to complete, 4 barrels of resin/hardener - 800kg of epoxy resin.
• Outcomes: the largest multihull to be infused in this way.
• The Broadblue Rapier 550 will be one of the most high performance
production cruising boats in its class.
*Alex Whatley (MIS), Will Harris & Stephen Leonard Williams (Composite Integration)

12. How is MIS funded?
• SWIAP – South West Innovation Accelerator Project
• We often refer to our MIS activities as BIKE –
Business Innovation and Knowledge Exchange
• Delivery is 100% funded* by the European
Regional Development Fund through the
Convergence Programme for Cornwall & IoS.
*subject to business eligibility and availability of funding – project ends June 2015

13. University
Expertise
College
Expertise
Graduates
Business
Finance
Where Does MIS
Fit?
National
Innovation
Funding
Local
Innovation
Funding
Coaching/
Wider
Business
Support
Skills &
Quals

14. MIS IN CONTEXT
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College and University expertise
and facilities access, supported
through:
National innovation funding
Local innovation funding……
EMBEDDED
TECHNICAL
CAPBILITY
Specialist
Knowledge
MIS events/ networking
and signposting to wider
programmes such as:
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Business Investment
for Growth (CDC)
Unlocking Potential
(Cornwall College/
Plymouth University)
Grow Cornwall (Oxford
Innovation)
Export Cornwall (UKTI)
Outset Cornwall & Fit
for Finance (YTKO)
Business
Support
For example :
Skills
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Higher level skills
Apprenticeships
Higher level
apprenticeships
Funded by
programmes such as:
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Skills Support for
the Workforce (SFA)

15. Funding for Specialist Knowledge &
Innovation
Examples include..
- MIS/ SWIAP & similar (ERDF)
- Local programmes (ERDF)
- Innovation Vouchers (TSB)
- Feasibility Studies (TSB)
- Business Innovation Fund (ERDF)
- Collaborative R & D (TSB)
- Research (ESF)
- SMART (TSB)
- KTP (TSB)
• Project complexity
• Depth of specialism
• Strategic significance (UK economy)

16. Further Information
For further information on how MIS, Falmouth Marine
School or Cornwall College experts can work with your
business contact:
Deborah Bennetts
Knowledge Exchange Manager
Deborah.bennetts@cornwall.ac.uk
07827 895631
01209 616174
Contact details are in the delegate packs provided.