Phil Maddox, Managing Director, Leafield Environmental

In this session our event chairperson Phil Maddox will welcome the audience.

Biography

Phil is the Managing Director of Leafield Environmental, a position he has held since 2011.  Leafield has been manufacturing plastic products used in the recycling, highways, agriculture for over twenty years, has a c. £10 m turnover serving both the UK and overseas markets.  Leafield entered the speciality case market with a leading patent protected product, winning major contracts in both the military and electronics markets.  It employees 60 people at its offices in Corsham, Wiltshire and Alfreton, Derbyshire.
Phil has an honours degree in Chemistry, and MBA and has 25 years experience at Board level within the speciality materials industry both in the UK and abroad.   Phil sits on the Strategy & Finance committee of the BPF.
 

Martin Coles, Owner, Matrix Polymers

Session TBC

Polymer Supply Trends for PE

In this session our speaker will provide an update on PE Polymer supply trends, exploring what has happened so far in 2026 and what we can expect in the future.

Gary Burchell, Commercil Director, Rotoquip

This presentation explores how rotational moulders can use embedded NFC technology to transform everyday products into Connected Products that deliver product information, installation guidance, warranties, technical documentation, support, accessories and much more—all through a simple smartphone tap.

Beyond improving customer experience, Connected Products create opportunities to strengthen brand loyalty, improve after-sales support, collect valuable product engagement data and unlock entirely new ways of interacting with customers.

The session will also demonstrate how the same technology provides a natural pathway to Digital Product Passports (DPPs), enabling manufacturers to prepare for future sustainability and compliance requirements without treating compliance as the primary objective.

Attendees will leave with practical insights into how Connected Products can help rotational moulders differentiate their products, increase customer engagement and prepare for the future of manufacturing.

Biography

Gary Burchell is the second generation in his family’s business, Roto Quip—a leading supplier to the rotational moulding industry for over 31 years. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a specialisation in Entrepreneurship, as well as a Diploma in Financial Accounting.

Since joining the company in 2006, Gary has served as Marketing Manager and is now Commercial Director, also heading up international business development. With nearly two decades of industry experience, he has been instrumental in expanding Roto Quip’s global footprint and driving innovation.

Gary pioneered the development of the ROTO-iD Solution, an RFID-based system developed specifically for the rotational moulding sector. Designed to improve production management, product traceability, and circular economy integration. ROTO-iD reflects Gary’s passion for bridging traditional manufacturing with smart technology.
 

Matteo Cortesi, Sales Manager Persico

In this Session, Matteo Cortesi from Persico will showcase different case studies of humanoid robots in rotational moulding:

For different markets (agriculture, tanks, pallets,..) the robot can support the activities of 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 rotomoulding machines.

Biography

Matteo Cortesi graduated in Engineering from the Politecnico di Milano, Italy, in 1995.
He joined Persico Group in 1996 and has been involved in the development of rotomoulding technologies ever since, gaining extensive experience in machinery, processes, and industrial applications.
Today, as Sales Manager of the Rotomoulding Division, Matteo actively contributes to the development of the new SMART generation of machines and automation solutions, helping customers improve productivity and efficiency while anticipating future market needs.

He has worked across a wide range of industries, including electroplating technology, machinery and plant engineering, metal processing, precast concrete industry, water treatment, and filtration technology.

Since 2024, he has been a member of the technical sales team at MAUS GmbH, serving both German and international customers.

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Graeme Craig, Senior Industrial Issues Executive, British Plastics Federation

In this session the BPF's own Graeme Craig will explore productivity in the Rotomoulding Industry.

Biography

Graeme Craig has worked in several industries in production and contracting. For over twenty years he has represented UK building services, the steel industry, and now plastics at home and overseas. Part of Graeme’s role at the BPF is to manage the development of Redefining Productivity: providing BPF members with free access to a comprehensive set of resources aimed at driving down expenses, maximising resources, minimising waste/environmental impact, and boosting profitability within the UK plastics sector.

Martin Spencer, Unique Roto

In this session Martin will explore the latest developments from ARMO, exploring new projects, upcoming events and future plans.

Biography

Martin Spencer our M.D. has over 30 years’ experience in the industry and has a worldwide reputation for innovation. He has hands on knowledge of product and machinery development including leading edge control system and temperature measuring software. Martin was M.D. of Rototek ltd in the UK for 21 years building a reputation for pushing the boundaries of both products and process.

Martin trained as an electrical engineer but started work in Composites producing kayaks and boats for use in international competition. From there he formed a company to produce composite foam sandwich paddles which were sold worldwide. As the kayak market moved from composites to Rotational moulding martin started to design for the process in 1981 and work in the process from 1985. In 1993 he along with several other engineers formed Rototek to provide a technical rotational trade moulding service

He has produced products for many market sectors including sailing dinghies, kayaks, road signs, building products, industrial components, technical tanks from 5 lts to 25000 lts and sports equipment, He has been responsible for operating 5 rock and roll ovens, 3 carousel ovens and an oil heated Leonardo.
 

Dr Gareth McDowell, Director, 493k

Dr Gareth will present on the Rotomoulding Quality Checks that you should be doing for your company to ensure your products are reaching the highest standard.

Biography

Founded by Dr. Gareth McDowell following his groundbreaking PhD research in Rotomoulding at Queen’s University Belfast, 493K Ltd was built on a passion for innovation and moulding science. Gareth’s expertise led to the creation of K-PAQ, the industry’s flagship system for real-time temperature and pressure control.

Today, 493K’s cutting-edge equipment supports moulders across every continent—helping them optimise cycle times, enhance part quality, and drive profitability. With a growing portfolio of advanced products, the company continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in modern moulding.

A recognised global authority, Gareth is highly sought after as a speaker and educator, travelling worldwide to share knowledge and remain at the forefront of industry developments.
 

Dr Abu Saiffullah, Senior Lecturer, University of Portsmouth

Valorisation of agricultural residue date palm fibre (DPF) in rotationally moulded LLDPE/DPF bio-composites for single and multiple-layered structures

The rotational moulding industry is expanding as manufacturers are attracted to its versatility, with global growth projected at ~5% CAGR into the 2030s, driven by innovation and sustainability. In roto-moulding, sustainability efforts include uses of recycled materials/biopolymers/energy-efficient processing/natural fibre reinforcement. Agricultural residues have been explored to modify performance and support circular economy goals, although date palm fibre (DPF) remains largely unstudied. DPFs, generated from routine tree maintenance, are abundant in the MENA region, cost significantly less than other fibres. Their high lignin content provides hydrophobicity, while balanced cellulose/hemicellulose contribute to good mechanical properties. This study examines DPF-reinforced roto-moulded LLDPE composites (5–20 wt.%) in single/double/triple-layered structures. DPF increased tensile modulus in single/double-layered composites (25–39%), while triple-layered samples maintained balanced tensile properties and showed the highest impact strength. These results demonstrate the strong potential for sustainable applications of DPF in roto-moulding sector, especially for local economies where DPF is abundant.

Biography

Dr Abu Saifullah is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (SEME) at the University of Portsmouth, UK, and serves as the thematic coordinator for the Materials Development and Testing research theme at the Portsmouth Centre for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (PCAMM). His research focuses on polymer processing, rotational moulding process, structure–property relationships, sustainable packaging, bio-based and waste valorised polymer composites for advanced engineering applications. He has experience in both academia and industry and is committed to advancing sustainable development, circular economy principles, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals through materials research and innovation. He currently leads and collaborates on several funded research projects, including awards from the Royal Society, Innovate UK, and university faculty initiatives. He has published many peer-reviewed journal and conference papers, supervises postgraduate research in sustainable materials, and delivers research-informed teaching in materials, manufacturing, design, and sustainability modules. He is a scientific handling editor of Materials Today Communications journal (Elsevier) and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), UK.

Speaker TBC

This presentation will explore how digitisation is changing rotomoulding and what the future will hold.