HotSeat: Paul Shipton, Director at PS Partnerships & Consultancy Ltd

PS Partnerships & Consultancy Ltd helps businesses navigate regulatory compliance, sustainability, and industry standards. The company works closely with manufacturers to ensure their products meet environmental and legislative requirements while optimising material selection and design.

In this PlastikMedia HotSeat, Paul Shipton, Director at PS Partnerships, shares his insights on the key trends shaping the UK plastics industry, the company’s evolution, and his own experiences within the sector.

What trends do you think will shape the future of UK plastics? How will PS Partnerships and Consultancy Ltd respond?

The continued growth of high-performance polymer types pushes out other materials in product designs where there is exposure to heat, chemicals and mechanical loading. Opportunities to use higher-performing commodity polymers in applications which previously used traditional engineering polymers

For commodity polymers used in domestic applications, the UK plastics industry will be under pressure from the government and environmental organisations to reduce carbon emissions and adopt more sustainable practices. Reliable data for processors to demonstrate the progress made will be vital.

We will work with our customers to optimise product designs and material selection to address these challenges and take advantage of new developments in plastic materials. Our role is also to help the customer navigate management systems and regulatory requirements to get their product to market and have the confidence to know they remain compliant.

How has PS Partnerships and Consultancy Ltd developed during your tenure?

The business has widened its scope with touch points with a diverse range of markets with support in plastics technology, regulatory compliance, and management systems. Knowledge and experience have also grown in the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors.

What do you credit as the key to your success?

We have an inquisitive and positive approach seeking to fully understand our customer needs before coming up with ideas to address them.

Our company name derived from the philosophy we did not want to be seen as an arm’s length external consultancy. We wanted to be an organisation that worked in partnership with customers building capability within them and having an ongoing relationship.

What has been the greatest challenge in your career?

To keep up with the speed of change and innovation within the industry, to consult within it you need to keep up to date with new technologies, materials and regulatory changes.

What advice do you wish you’d had on entering the industry and does that differ from the advice you would give to an apprentice joining now?

I entered the industry at 16 training to be a technician. I think it would have been useful to have a better understanding of the diversity and range of opportunities it provides. It took me time to appreciate this.

I would provide the same advice to an apprentice joining it now. I would also suggest they pester their trainers to understand the principles behind the industry’s technology and materials behaviour. Nowadays much of it is hidden behind screens and software.

What hidden talents do you have?

I have a keen interest in cars and have developed solid skills as a car mechanic over the years.

Read more news from PS Partnerships here.

PS Partnerships
01743 612050
Website
Email