WIGAN, England — Paul Jones, Managing Director of Bitrez, the UK’s leading manufacturer of specialist polymers and chemicals, has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, which is the highest level of membership.

Jones joined Bitrez shortly after it was formed. He entered the lab directly from school, aged 17, into a role as an Apprentice Technician and through a process of self-teaching and dogged determination, Jones developed his knowledge and experimental skills in chemistry, rising through the ranks to Development Chemist, Works Manager, Operations Manager, Head of R & D, and now Managing Director and co-owner.

Reading endless books, journals and technical magazines gave him the skills and the know-how to design and manufacture polymers that could be shaped to provide reduced risks to society on a global basis.

Jones is one of the world’s foremost experts in specialist polymers, resins and curing agents. His election to Fellow caps a number of awards secured by Bitrez as a result of his pioneering development and innovative work, including the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, and business and innovation awards from the Institute of Chemical Engineering, MAKE UK and Chemicals North West.

Jones’ achievements span cutting-edge chemistry that has never been developed before, as well as leadership and significantly growing and establishing his core business at the forefront of specialty polymer manufacturing while launching a number of other specialist chemical companies.

On the chemistry front, Jones led the research, development and launch of a low free monomer and bisphenol A-free resins. Other highlights include the development and launch of epoxy curing agents, vinyl ester resins, epoxy resins, phenolic polymers, and amino resins. He also developed and launched a range of novel catalysts and accelerators. Alongside this, Jones developed the only global REACH-compliant ketamine epoxy curing agent. He has written several technical articles and is a strong advocate of green chemistry.

“I’m thrilled that Paul has been named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC),” said Brian Allen Co-Director and partner of Bitrez Ltd. “The designation FRSC is only given to a select group of scientists who have made outstanding contributions to chemistry. On behalf of the business, I congratulate Paul on this exceptional and well-deserved honor.”

Dr Barrie G. Colvin FRSC, Technical Director of Ru-bix Tooling Board/Advanced Thermosets Ltd., said, “Paul has a very rare quality of being a complete expert in the chemistry and application of epoxies, as well as achieving a very high professional position within that industry. He is clearly the person to go to for any question or advice in connection with epoxies, and I have always found him unusually knowledgeable and helpful.

“There is no doubt whatsoever that he has had a major impact on the successful growth of the composites industry, a business sector that is growing rapidly in the UK and across the world. He has achieved a number of industry awards as a result of his groundbreaking achievements as a development chemist and Managing Director of a very successful chemical company.

“His recent success with bio-based resins, including the Queen’s Award for Innovation, has confirmed his continued desire to further improve the ecological aspects of his business, and I would have no hesitation in supporting his application.”