Bulk Handling for Net-Zero

Mike Bradley: Director, The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology

Mike is Professor in Particle and Bulk Technology, Director of the Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology and Head of the Greenwich Manufacturing Group at the University of Greenwich. He was awarded both his honours degree and PHD from Thames Polytechnic (now the University of Greenwich) and, as manager/director, provides technical leadership in all aspects of bulk solids handling. His particular areas of interest lie in pneumatic conveying, design of hoppers and silos, dust control, plant integration and maintenance of product quality. He is Chair of Solids Handling and Processing Association (SHAPA), and a member of Materials Handling Engineers Association (MHEA) and of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Bulk Materials Handling Committee (IMechE).  He was awarded a professorship in 2006 and the directorship in 2008.

Allan Barton: lobal Business Leader for Resources and Waste, Arup

Allan’s career has led him towards being passionate about this wonderful planet we live upon. His particular focus is on the resources we use to sustain our way of life and treasuring them for future generations.

For the past 15 years he has worked for Arup, a global engineering consultancy, as their Global Business Leader for Resources and Waste. This has allowed him to travel the world, helping people understand how they can better handle the planet’s resources.

Prior to this he worked for 20 years at Shanks, which at the time, was one of the leading Waste Management Contractors. He held various positions concluding with being Managing Director of Shanks East London, a company building and running a large a waste PFI business.

He has worked at Director level for the past 27 and has considerable experience of the global resource and waste sector, and the technologies and processes employed to handle and treat all categories of waste.

Allan now has a portfolio of activities in addition to Arup. These include being a member of the I Mech E process industries Board leading their working group on Sustainable Resources and is a Court Assistant of the Company of Water Conservators, who focus on promoting a diverse and sustainable environment.

Eddie McGee: Managing Director, Ajax Equipment Ltd

Eddie McGee is an experienced Managing Director with over three decades in engineering solutions for many, varied solids handling projects in chemical, pharmaceutical, nuclear, waste, food, confectionery and other industries. Routinely involved in the detailed specification, design and supply of bespoke screw feeders, conveyors, elevators, mixers and lump breakers, as well as hoppers, intermediate bulk containers etc. Eddie is a member (and past chair) of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers' Bulk Materials Handling Committee, the European Federation of Chemical Engineering Working Party on Mechanics of Particulate Solids and the Solids Handling and Processing Association’s technical committee. He has a PhD from Glasgow Caledonian University for his work on characterisation and flow behaviour in hoppers and feeders and in 2008 he was presented with the IMechE Bulk Materials Award for Innovation. He has presented at conferences in UK, Germany, Italy, Norway and the USA.

Garry O’Malley: Operations Director, Teesworks Limited

Garry joined Teesworks in 2020 following the successful Compulsory Purchase of the former  Redcar Steel Works that closed in October 2015.

Since the acquisition of the former steel works site in October 2020 the work to demolish the steel making assets and decontaminate and remediate the land in preparation for its redevelopment began in earnest. Garry has been overseeing the demolition of the steel works and the processing and disposal of the scrap generated. In addition, Garry is overseeing the work on a new one kilometre deep water quay being developed on the South Bank Of the River Tees which has been designed to operate as a multi-purpose riverside terminal to handle bulk and break bulk cargoes. The work on the new quay began in October 2021 with completion of phase one expected in October 2023. The Teesworks site covers an area of 4,500 acres which will be developed alongside the new quay over a ten year period aimed at attracting manufacturing, logistics and green energy type businesses to the Tees Valley.

Garry has held a series of senior management roles in the Ports Industry for over 30 years working in a number of UK East Coast ports. Garry has vast experience in all aspects of Port and Terminal Operations handling a wide variety of Bulk, Break Bulk and Unitised cargoes. Prior to embarking on a career in Port Management Garry spent a number of years as a senior seagoing officer in the Merchant Navy serving on a wide variety of ships including large bulk carriers trading worldwide. Garry Qualified as a master mariner in 1981 and is the current chairman of the Association of Bulk Terminal Operators (ABTO) Technical Committee and Chairman of the Tees and Hartlepool Port Users Association.

Nikheel Mistry: Project and Process Commissioning Manager, Bradley Pulverizer

Nikheel Mistry is a chemical engineer and an Associate Member of the IChemE with over five years’ experience as a Process Commissioning Engineer.

He has designed, developed, optimised, and commissioned processes involved in flash drying, milling, ultra-fine grinding and air classification in various industries including minerals, chemical, pharmaceutical and food.

As well as this, he has extensive experience working in pilot plants running trials for novel applications of milling and classifying technologies.

Paul Sheerin: Disport Operations Director, Enviva

Paul Sheerin is Disport Operations Director at Enviva, ensuring the quality and transportability of the company’s wood pellets from its production facilities to the customer. In his role, Paul closely works with Enviva’s industrial partners along the supply chain. He has been with the company for six years. Prior to joining Enviva, Paul worked in supply chains for raw materials and automotive components for 30 years, predominantly blue chip producers and multi-stage production companies. Paul holds a BsC in Physics from Leeds University. He lives in Yorkshire. 

Richard Ellis: Vice President EMEA, Schenck Process

Richard Eliis first joined the materials handling business in 1992, and since then has mainly specialised in pneumatic conveying in one way or another. Over the years Richard has been involved in some fantastic projects in Europe, in China, working in the mineral, metals and power industries. For major UK projects, he has worked on the Drax biomass conversion and also the Redcar blast furnace renewal, as well as other projects in cement conveying, chemicals and food.