Two shot injection moulding specialists Hymid Multi-Shot have been shortlisted in not one but two categories in the Herald Express Business Excellence Awards, announced in print today!
Hymid are poised to receive accolades in Sales & Marketing and Business Growth at the English Riviera Centre on Friday 10th February. Watch this space!

Got an idea for making crutches easier to use? Do you or anyone you know of use crutches – Richard Child, Technical Director of Hymid R&D would like to hear from you!

Richard recently graduated from University College Falmouth with a first class honours degree in 3D design and has since set up Hymid R&D as an ideas hub for the independent living sector.

Based at the Paignton Innovation Centre, South Devon College, Hymid R&D is focused on revolutionising the independent living industry by adding value through design.

Richard says “It is clear within the independent living sector, that end users and industry professionals are aware of all the issues and problems. However, if they have an idea about how to solve a problem, what do they do with it? It’s these ideas that Hymid R&D are looking to develop. We want to work with communities, end users and industry professionals to solve problems through inclusive design. Our mission is simple; to nurture innovative ideas into existence”.

Richard is currently working on a product for the crutches market. If you or someone you know has ever used crutches, then he wants to hear about the problems you faced or are facing.

Getting products to market is one of the biggest challenges faced by all designers particularly in the independent living sector and we wish Richard every success with his new venture.

To get in touch with Richard and for more information, visit http://www.hymidrandd.co.uk/idea. Like all good entrepreneurs, Richard has also embraced social media at http://www.facebook.com/hymidrandd and http://www.twitter.com/hymidrandd

In 2011 the UK Government consulted with industry on the ‘Patent Box’; a proposed tax regime of 10% for profits arising from patents. The scheme is integral to the Government’s commitment to establishing the most competitive corporation tax regime in the G20 (The Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors).

This has now come a step closer, with the publication on 6 December 2011 of draft Patent Box legislation. Although this is subject to further technical consultation, it is expected that the new rules should be effective from 1 April 2013 and phased in over a five year period.

Patent Box is an incentive for UK companies to retain and commercialise existing patents and to develop new innovative patented products by providing a headline rate of corporation tax of 10% for profits attributed to patents. As a result of the consultation exercise, existing as well as new IP will be eligible for the 10% tax rate.

All businesses within the scope of corporation tax will potentially be eligible to participate. A business must hold a qualifying patent (either a granted UK or European patent) and receive income relating to that patent, either in the form of a patent licence or patent income embedded in the sale proceeds of a product covered by a patent.

The scheme will start from 1st April 2013 and is likely to be phased in over several years, with the full benefit coming into effect a few years down the line. Companies should be considering their product pipelines now, with a view to obtaining relevant granted patent rights before the commencement date.

With many thanks to Malcolm Lawrence, CEO Avidity IP
malcolm.lawrence@avidity-ip.com

The draft Finance Bill 2012 legislation not only includes good news on the new Patent Box as described above, but also changes to R&D tax reliefs.
On R&D, the Chancellor had already given large companies an early Christmas present in his autumn statement by announcing introduction in 2013 of a credit which can be recorded against cost, i.e. ‘above the line’.

The other R&D changes had largely been trailed, including the good news for Small or Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) on the increase in the rate of relief and abolition of the PAYE & NI cap on the repayable credit. The changes for innovation set out in the draft legislation for Finance Bill 2012 are generally welcome with the patents covered being more widely defined and the ‘routine’ profits that are excluded being reduced to 10% (from 15%) and the SME relief for R&D going up to 225% and the cash recovery being extended.

It is perhaps disappointing that the Government is missing the opportunity to immediately consult on how to design the reformed R&D relief as an ‘above the line’ credit with the consultation delayed until Budget 2012 (draft legislation containing the changes to implement an above the line R&D credit will be published in Autumn 2012, with confirmation of the final design of the scheme anticipated in Budget 2013 and legislation in Finance Bill 2013).
Source – Tax news from PwC

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Hymid at the Plastics Industry Awards 2011 L-R Colin Spencer Halsey: Vickie Broadbent: Andy Tettmar

Hymid’s inaugural event Flash to Bang Part I – held on Wednesday October 12th – was hailed a great success! We had four excellent speakers & experts in their fields giving excellent presentations from concept to manufacture – all the ‘creative’ stages of the design process. Flash to Bang Part II will cover the ‘business’ side of things -routes to  market, licensing, funding, business strategy, branding etc. The event was well attended, with people representing both business and academia; also intermediaries/advisers. Some great networking was had. Feedback has been excellent too – so, all in all, a very positive outcome for our first event. Watch this space for more!

This week saw Hymid atending the Plastics Industry Awards 2011. It was the first time Hymid has entered these prestigious awards – we were thrilled to be named as ‘Highly Commended’ in the Industrial Product Design category. It was a fabulous evening of celebrating all that is new and innovative in the world of polymer science and design. Bring on next years awards!