A new Scottish business has been launched in a bid to transform collagen-derived by-products from leather manufacturing into high-performance industrial materials.
The firm, encircol, which is backed by 200-year-old family firm Scottish Leather Group (SLG), is developing a suite of products suitable for use in the energy, construction and advanced manufacturing sectors.
The group says the range will create circular advantage by re-using waste and removing synthetic chemicals from the supply chain. It also anticipates growing demand for environmentally responsible industrial materials amid tightening European regulations requiring businesses to account for the embodied carbon and lifecycle performance of the materials they specify.
Encircol builds on SLG’s existing proprietary BioPRO® technology. Nominated for the Earthshot Prize, BioPRO® is a protein-based moulded foam which incorporates collagen recovered from leather manufacturing to create a highly durable, recoverable foam for seating manufacturing. BioPRO® is already certified and in commercial use in aviation, automotive and mass transit seating.
The firm is led by a senior team with decades of experience in growing companies that specialise in producing insulation and building materials. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ken Munro was formerly Managing Director of mineral insulation at international building materials company, Kingspan Group, and was previously CEO at insulation manufacturer Superglass – leading the company through a financial and operational turnaround and a strategically significant sale process.
He is joined by Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Theresa McLean, who recently led Superglass through a substantial integration with its new owner, and Marketing Director Bob Dalrymple, who brings experience from Superglass and Kingspan following a decade building global brands in the premium spirits industry.
Ken Munro, CEO, encircol, said: “This is a hugely exciting opportunity to build a world-leading industrial materials business, born from 200 years of manufacturing experience and harnessing Scotland’s technical prowess.
“Our collagen-derived products will help businesses in industries including construction and energy to comply with increasingly stringent environmental regulations and reporting requirements without compromising on the quality, durability and technical performance they need.
“Scotland is renowned globally for its innovation and engineering expertise. We are drawing on both to establish and grow a venture that will deliver high-value R&D jobs and shine a spotlight on the country’s advanced manufacturing skills.”
The business, which is operating from Stirling University Innovation Park, is progressing certification work and has an advanced research facility in Glasgow, where Scottish Leather Group has opened a 75,000 sq ft production base dedicated to scaling BioPRO®.
Nicholas Muirhead, CEO of Scottish Leather Group, said: “encircol represents an important next step in our ambition to diversify Scottish Leather Group by creating new value from our natural collagen-derived materials. It is a forward-looking opportunity that builds on our heritage of innovation, and I am delighted that we have attracted such a strong team to lead this next chapter.”
