Its work helps to uncover how much plastic is found in the products and materials we already use, and to create new and more sustainable materials – improving recycling and recyclability, and ensuring new materials really are sustainable.


Uniquely, it offers businesses access to knowledge, sustainability assessment and equipment on how to recover value from plastics.
Based in the state-of-the-art Henry Royce Institute Hub Building, the SMI Hub benefits from access to the very latest technologies to deliver on its important mission.
Our impact
Our materials experts work with companies of all sizes to create solutions to suit a variety of business needs. Discover how we’re helping them transform their plastics use.
Speak to our experts

Professor Mike Shaver
Director of SMI Hub and Professor of Polymer Science
- Sustainable plastics, polymers and composites
- Circular economy
- Plastics recycling

Dr Chloe Loveless
Senior Experimental Officer
- Polymers characterisation
- Sustainable processes
- Sustainable polymer production

Dr Helen Holmes
Lecturer in Sociology, Sociology
- Circular economy
- Material culture and materiality
- Everyday consumption and production