The University of Lincoln’s National Centre for Food Manufacturing (NCFM) has welcomed four new team members, as it builds its presence in the seafood cluster to help ensure the skills and innovation needs of the seafood processing sector can be serviced from a local base.

The University of Lincoln’s National Centre for Food Manufacturing (NCFM) has welcomed four new team members, as it builds its presence in the seafood cluster to help ensure the skills and innovation needs of the seafood processing sector can be serviced from a local base. 

The investment recognises the success of the partnership between the NCFM and the Seafood Grimsby and Humber Alliance (SGHA), a consortium of Grimsby’s leading businesses and partners, working collaboratively to ensure the long-term success of Grimsby’s Seafood Cluster and the University’s ongoing commitment to Grimsby’s seafood processing businesses. 

Professor Val Braybrooks, Dean at the NCFM, said: “We have successfully secured several research projects to aid the sector’s transition to low carbon and have a major project to grow higher-level skills.  

“Our growing partnership means that we must provide local access for Grimsby’s businesses to support for skills development and driving innovation, whilst drawing on the outstanding resources we have at NCFM’s headquarters on the South Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone in Holbeach.  

“The team is currently working out of the Grimsby Institute, and we aim to locate NCFM Grimsby in the Humber Seafood Institute (HSI) later in the year from where the intention is to establish a low carbon and cool chain research facility and grow from there.’’ 

Mark Swainson, Professor of Industrial Food Technology and Research Lead, said: ‘‘This strategic investment will further enable the National Centre for Food Manufacturing to support sector businesses of all sizes as they seek the vital combination of their operations being productive, efficient, and sustainable. 

“The team have significant expertise and experience of innovation across product and process technologies, industry digitalisation, and energy reduction/low carbon advancement in factories and their related supply chains.’’  

Simon Dwyer, representing the Seafood Grimsby and Humber Alliance, said: ‘’We have a world leading seafood cluster in Grimsby which employs some 5,500 people and a further 10,000 people in the supply chain.  

“The SGHA Board recognise that building capacity to support for skills, innovation and research development, low carbon and international trade is vital for the cluster’s competitiveness. We are therefore pleased to be partnering with the NCFM and see the University’s investment as a major boost in building on our ‘Made Great in Grimsby’ ambition to position Grimsby at the heart of global seafood trade, now and in the decades to come.”   

The new team members are: 

Dr Graham Purnell (NCFM Senior Lecturer in Food Cold Chain and Food Process Engineering) 

Email: gpurnell@lincoln@ac.uk Mobile: 07890420094 

Graham has built extensive technical expertise and experience in food process engineering R&D for the food industry through 35 years of activity in the sector. A mechanical engineer by degree Graham has become a food process engineer through many varied and diverse projects such as: robotic butchery systems, implementing techniques for pathogen reduction on seafoods, development of automated handwashing prototypes, working closely with SMEs for processing improvements, energy saving for major multiple retailers, waste sludge processing, and many more. 

Graham is active in projects to improve seafood shelf life, improve refrigeration and heating systems, generate business improvements through automation, and energy saving measures the majority of which decarbonise and produce cost savings for the engaged businesses. He has also built up a vital understanding of the contexts in which engineering solutions are a practicable approach for food manufacturing operations, transitioning good ideas out of the lab and into industry use. 

Luke Talbot (NCFM Research Assistant (Food Logistics and Supply Chain) 

Email: luketalbot@lincoln.ac.uk Mobile: 07814779547 

Luke has always worked in the food industry and for the last seven years, has been focused on industry facing food research working across many successful projects from proposal to completion as well as engaging with stakeholders from a huge range of different business types, government organisations, and academic partners.  Luke began his research journey in large, multi-year innovation projects including the dynamic control of food retailing refrigeration systems, bacteriophage control of listeria, and the development of off-grid, low-cost refrigeration systems.  

More recently, he has been involved in multiple business assist projects aiming to improve efficiency, moving towards automation, decarbonisation, and innovation. He is currently working on feasibility for the electrification of Grimsby’s fish van fleet, innovative shelf-life work for seafood, more business-assists focussing on decarbonisation, and building models for food distribution networks. 

Dr Andrew Couper - Senior Lecturer (Seafood Processing) 

Email: acouper@lincoln.ac.uk Mobile: 07870991309 

Andrew has always wanted to be involved in fisheries related work and holds a degree in Fishery Studies, before completing a PhD in Shellfish Physiology at Hull University. 

He has spent the past 25 years working in the seafood industry in technical management starting his career with Marr Foods in Hull. He then transferred to the Grimsby chilled fish site when that Marr Foods was taken over by Young’s. Andrew started as QA Manager and went on to become the Head of Technical for eight years.  He left Young’s in 2019 but keeps in touch, returning to provide interim technical support at various sites. In his new role with NCFM, he is keen to partner with fellow industry professionals in promoting education and training in the sector. 

Danielle Emmitt - Projects Administrator (Seafood Sector) 

Email: demmitt@lincoln.ac.uk Mobile: 07977692101 

Danielle has worked in administration for many years in various sectors, particularly education. She has an Honours degree and Masters in English Literature and wants to begin a PhD in the same subject, specialising in the Victorian Era. 

Danielle is local to Grimsby and Cleethorpes, with a wealth of working relationships across various sectors, most recently the seafood sector. She is very people focused and loves the opportunity to engage with all people and their businesses, having a passion for bringing educational opportunities and support to the Lincolnshire area, in particular Grimsby and Cleethorpes, and is excited to take on her new role within NCFM.