UK plastics compounder and recycler Luxus has made a senior appointment to its technical team this month.
Dr Christel Croft joins the company from BP as a Project Manager heading up various research initiatives for the business from its new Technical Centre.
Dr Croft will initially supervise the delivery of the €1.4m Eco-innovation initiative co-funded by the European Union, the research project known as Recyclite. Luxus is the lead partner in a consortium for the project, which includes: Jaguar Land Rover, Coperion and Tier one moulding supplier IAC.
The Recyclite project aims to commercialise Luxus’ polypropylene Hycolene range for class ‘A’ automotive interior trim applications, which has been developed to primarily help environmentally responsible manufacturers meet increasing ‘end of life vehicle’ (ELV) and emissions legislation.
Welcoming Dr Christel Croft to the company, Luxus Managing Director, Peter Atterby, said: “Christel has an excellent track record in successfully managing people and projects in business performance roles. So we are excited about the combination of scientific skills and business acumen she will bring to our technical team to help deliver added value to our customers.”
Dr Croft first began her career in polyethylene catalysis for BP in France in 1996. She then completed an MBA and had a commercial role for BP Oil, before joining its UK Research Centre in Hull initially as a team leader. In 2010 she joined the education sector, became Dean of Business and Science in the Higher Education Faculty and in 2013 returned to BP as Planning and Performance Manager in the Hull Research and Technology Centre.
On her new appointment, Dr. Croft commented: “I am delighted to join Luxus during this special 50th anniversary year for the business. Luxus is a highly successful and innovative company that has proved itself both in Europe and now globally having recently extended its reach into Asia.
“I hope to bring a fresh approach to the Luxus technical team gained from my commercial experience introducing new products and services into the chemicals industry which I’m sure will greatly assist the Hycolene range in becoming a commercial success with Europe’s premium automotive sector.”
