Newquay based business, Odyssey Innovation, which recycles marine plastic waste into water-orientated recreational products, announced on social media (August 24) the launch of their latest product: a handplane made from 100% marine recycled plastic.
The new product has been in the pipeline for the past two years and has been brought to market thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign, as well as support from the University of Plymouth and the University of Exeter.
Rob Thompson, Founder of Odyssey Innovation, took to his LinkedIn account to announce that the business is now in the position to finally take orders for their new product line:
“2 years ago we asked the public to help us develop a prototype for a 100% marine recycled and recyclable plastic surfing handplane that would demonstrate the circular economy – and they did! Shortly after the University of Plymouth and the University of Exeter also jumped on-board (pun unintended). Finally, I’m proud to announce the launch of our awesome Odyssey Handplane”, he says.
Those members of the public who supported Odyssey Innovation’s crowdfunding campaign were also pleasantly surprised to receive their first editions of the eco-conscious handplane, one of which was Jen Keywood, PR and Events officer at ATI2, who explains what it was like to open it in the post:
“Having to wait two years for the handplane made it even more exciting to receive it out the blue! It’s great to be able to support a Cornish business that is creating surf equipment in a sustainable way, and even better that its origins come from the UK surf capital of Newquay. The quality of the product is second to none and I love the fact that it’s made out of recycled marine plastic, meaning that the colour variation makes it unique too”.
Acceleration Through Innovation (ATI), a project led by the University of Plymouth, worked with Odyssey Innovation in the early stages of the handplane’s design and development and were able to provide the business with research, design and prototyping expertise.
Part of the support from ATI also included a consultancy grant to help with some of the costs of product design and development, such as enlisting the services and expertise of specialist consultants at Dynamic Edge Innovation Ltd, and undergoing product testing with a number of local surfers to refine the design of the handplane.
ATI’s business innovation support and services are fully-funded for businesses throughout Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, thanks to the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The successful business support programme is now in its second round of ERDF funding and goes by the name Acceleration Through Innovation 2.
Jenny Naldret, Innovation Champion at ATI2, has worked with Odyssey Innovation for a number of years and was heavily involved in the research surrounding the handplane project:
“It’s always deeply satisfying to hear when our clients successfully launch a new product to market. It’s been a long time coming but creating something new from recycled materials isn’t as straight forward as people think. Rob has pioneered the process of recycling marine plastic and has even collaborated with multiple organisations to form a net recycling scheme. It’s amazing what they have achieved and it’s been a pleasure to have played a small part in their innovation journey”, she says.
To find out more about Odyssey Innovation and their other initiatives, visit: https://www.odysseyinnovation.com/