FIVE MINUTES WITH ...
Q . SO , WHAT DOES VERSAIEN HAVE TO OFFER EXACTLY ?
» So we ' re taking that fantastic wonder material , graphene , and we ' re putting it with lots of other materials that we use on a day-to-day basis and take for granted . It doesn ' t matter whether it ' s concrete or it ' s carbon fibre . It doesn ' t matter whether it ' s for a defence application or automotive aerospace . What we ' re trying to do here is radically disrupt the conventional methods and materials that we ' ve been using for centuries . So at some point , we ' re gonna change our thinking from making ‘ pretty ’ things to making things that are really , really functional .
Q . WHERE DOES VERSAIEN STAND NOW IN TERMS OF FACILITIES ?
» Now we operate out of three main laboratories in the UK and three factories . We have three laboratories at the University of Manchester , the centre of the graphene revolution . Then we have a laboratory down at the University of Cambridge where they have their own graphene centre as well .
Q . WHAT DO THE NEXT 12 TO 18 MONTHS LOOK LIKE FOR THE COMPANY ?
» I ' d love to say that they are going to be really relaxing and a bit of a lull in activity . I don ' t think anybody who ' s been in business for the last 20 years has seen anything like we ' ve been through the last three or four years . In terms of what I see in future , I think
“ WHAT WE ' RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS RADICALLY DISRUPT THE CONVENTIONAL METHODS AND MATERIALS THAT WE ' VE BEEN USING FOR CENTURIES ”
that the record will change quite substantially . I ' ll see that there ' ll be more emphasis put on sustainability . We ' re already seeing that in the textile industry and the construction industry . We know that we ' ve got some big challenges and some big targets to hit . We don ' t really have a clear path to those at the moment .
24 May 2022