Aquacheck Engineering scoops top prize at KTP Best of the Best Awards for state-of-the-art device

Photo: Manchester Metropolitan University

Bamidele Adebisi, Professor in Intelligent Infrastructure Systems, with, right, Paul Carrington, the CEO of Aquacheck Engineering and, centre, KTP associate Dario Chiantello with a prototype smart water meter developed via a Knowledge Transfer Partnership

Rochdale-based company Aquacheck Engineering has scooped the top prize at the 45th annual Knowledge Transfer Partnership Best of the Best Awards (Wednesday 9 September).

The Best of the Best Awards celebrate the most outstanding outputs of collaborations between academic/research teams, graduates and companies – with the collaboration between Aquacheck, KTP Associate Dario Chiantello and Manchester Metropolitan University winning the overall prize for Best Knowledge Transfer Partnership.

Aquacheck Engineering, based on Royle Barn Road, is a supplier of precision-engineered components for the water industry, specialising in the manufacture of back flow prevention devices and water tools. 

The project, led by Professor of Intelligent Infrastructure Systems at Manchester Metropolitan University, Bamidele Adebisi, finished in 2019 after three years of work.

The design of standard standpipes – something on which we all rely for our water supply – has remained largely unchanged for decades, and offer limited functionality. Aquacheck Engineering, supplier to many water companies, wanted to change that.

The partnership has allowed Aquacheck to create a new smart water standpipe that utility companies can use to monitor water usage, location, flow, pressure and much more. The creation of the standpipe, a mobile Internet of Things-connected device, will prevent companies from losing revenue from unaccounted water loss.

Dr Alicia Greated, CEO of KTN – a key delivery partner of the KTP programme – said: "At KTN we are committed to shaping innovation communities of the future, which is exactly what made these awards so inspiring.

“Not only are our KTP winners actively bringing research into commercial business environments, but they are also bringing new ways of thinking, diverse experience and varied skill sets together to make a meaningful difference in building a sustainable economy and society.”

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships is a UK-wide programme that has been helping businesses for the past 40 years to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK Knowledge Base.

The awards were held virtually for the first time this year, with 500 guests held in a virtual, immersive environment with avatars celebrating KTP collaboration and innovation.

In total, 13 winners were selected from over 800 industry and societal innovation projects nationwide.