CRC for Polymers successful in 14th selection round of the CRC program

The CRC for Polymers was successful in the recently completed 14th selection round of the Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) program, receiving an offer of $14.5 million in funding over five years commencing July 2012.

The CRC for Polymers will establish Australian manufacturing as a leading provider and exporter of products that meet emerging global needs in three areas – health therapies, water & food security, and low-cost solar energy – by developing enabling and sustainable advanced polymer technology. The products developed will improve productivity, grow the manufacturing sector, create high-skill high-value manufacturing jobs, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Targeted outcomes include:

• an improved process for producing cellular therapies based on polymer surface technology;
• a new polymer-based delivery technology for developing and manufacturing a series of novel animal health products that will significantly impact the competitiveness of Australian livestock production;
• a new range of polymers to help Australian farmers achieve greater productivity and farm profitability and, at the same time, reduce the environmental footprint of farming;
• new polymer-based evaporation control technology for reducing water losses from storages, and
• encapsulating polymer technologies for ensuring the longevity of roof-integrated solar cells.

End user participants for this next five year period include: Mesoblast Ltd, Virbac (Australia) Pty Ltd, BASF Australia Ltd, Coliban Regional Water
Corporation, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Integrated Packaging Australia Pty Ltd, Greening Australia Ltd, Rice Research Australia Pty Ltd and BlueScope Steel Ltd.

The research providers include: ANSTO, CSIRO, University of Melbourne, Monash University, Swinburne University of Technology, University of New South Wales, University of Wollongong, University of Newcastle, University of New England, University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, University of Western Australia and Griffith University.

The State of Victoria is also a participant.