PPS Manufacturing – the first company producer of nitrile gloves in Europe, signed a partnership with the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy – Sofia (UCTM). The research project will investigate the possibility of developing fully biodegradable nitrile gloves and its first phase will last 4 months.
By the end of the year the university has the task of exploring the possibilities of creating a formula for fully biodegradable nitrile gloves. After submitting the report to PPS Manufacturing, the Bulgarian startup will review the results with the intention to move towards implementation and extension of the partnership with UCTM with focus on practical application.
„This project is extremely important to us. PPS Manufacturing was created to protect people’s health while caring for the environment. To create a fully biodegradable nitrile glove with UCTM’s team would be a step in the right direction.“, said Georgi Petkov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of PPS Manufacturing.
„Throughout its 70-year history, UCTM has developed science, which has supported progress in the industry of traditional technologies, and in more recent years, with a focus on innovations and high tech, in line with the highest ecological standards and good practices. The meeting with PPS Manufacturing is new for us and we are happy to be in contact with an innovative company based in the Trakia Economic Zone. We hope that the project will be completed with the introduction of a new product line and this will be a step towards actively working in the sphere of biodegradable products, biomedical engineering and biomaterials for medical application, which coincide with the new courses at the university.“, said Prof. Senya Terzieva. -Zhelyazkova, Rector of UCTM-Sofia.
The new factory is a unique for Bulgaria and all of Europe project, as currently there is no production of nitrile gloves for the healthcare, industrial and general use sectors on the continent and the opportunity to create such an enterprise in the country, especially during a pandemic, will provide great economic advantage for Bulgaria and the EU. PPS Manufacturing is financed entirely through a Bulgarian instrument – The Sustainable Cities Fund, as the investment will exceed 10 million BGN and will create over 100 new jobs in the region.
Production will be located in a communicative spot in Plovdiv – Kuklensko Shose Blvd. To speed up the adoption of new technologies and launch production, international chemical engineers will be invited to train local staff and support the start of production. An R&D lab is also planned for research and production tests. The products will be tested in a European certified lab and will be certified by a European body.
The University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy is a state higher education school, which has accreditation with a maximum grade in Bulgaria and since summer 2021 has achieved the status of a research university. UCTM annually trains over 3000 students. The university offers a course in French, accredited at state level in France, as well as a course in German, for which graduates are awarded a joint diploma with leading technical universities in Germany. The University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy maintains active cooperation with a number of foreign universities and research institutes. UCTM’s mission is to train highly qualified specialists to gain higher education in all fields of chemical technology and metallurgy, biotechnology, polymer engineering, ecology, information technology and management, as well as further develop fundamental and applied research in traditional fields of natural sciences and chemical technologies, metallurgy and the latest areas of biotechnology, nanotechnology, energy and environmental efficiency, information technology and clean energy and sustainable development.
