OPN: Can you tell us more about your history and particularly your calcium processing pedigree?
SB: Biocomposites was previously a subsidiary of a ceramics and minerals processing group, established in 1820 in North Staffordshire. The company’s involvement in calcium minerals processing began in 1850, primarily for traditional ceramics manufacture. In the last century, this involvement expanded into synthetic calcium products manufacture for industries ranging from glass production to food enrichment and proteins separation.

OPN: When did the company diversify into orthopaedics and how has this evolved?
SB: We began investigating orthopaedic applications for our technologies in 1987 with small scale processing of hydroxyapatite powders for prosthesis coatings. This quickly became a “me too” business, however, and we almost immediately diversified further into calcium and polymer composite development. Our research into composite biomaterials began in 1991 and eventually produced the sports medicine innovative product ranges in BiLok and Biosteon that Arthrocare and Stryker corporations now market and distribute internationally for Biocomposites.

OPN: When did you become involved with the company and how has your role evolved?
SB: In 1987, when our orthopaedics involvement began, diversification into new markets was part of my brief as Commercial Director. I was appointed Managing Director of our newly incorporated medical subsidiary in 1992. Funding a diversified subsidiary became increasingly challenging and led to my leading a management buyout from our parent group in 1998 and in which I was supported by my co-directors John Cooper and Russell Waters and a small nucleus of key employees. I am currently Biocomposites Ltd’s Managing Director and also have responsibility for our businesses in USA and China.

OPN: How has your move to your new facilities in Keele (right) helped your development?
SB: Had we not relocated from our previous base in Stoke on Trent, we could not have expanded. I should also put on record that grant support from Advantage West Midlands made our relocation possible. We now have research, production and office suites that are a tribute to the employees and their past efforts on behalf of the company.

We have tripled our workforce in 12 months and our new employees probably don’t realise how lucky they are to have this work environment. It is a significant step up from our previous facilities and the employees who have been with us from the outset have experienced the considerable advancement, which Biocomposites has made in the past two years.

We have recently launched two new products, Little Grafter™ and Genex. We could not have contemplated these launches or met the demand for these and our established products in our previous facility. Our clean room and research laboratories will accommodate future expansion and enable our product development programmes to continue at a faster pace.

OPN: At the start of this interview you mentioned your calcium processing pedigree. How has this contributed to Biocomposites’ development?
SB: Following our management buyout, we had access to a 150 years database of calcium salts processing know-how. This gives us a unique advantage in this field. Genex represents a breakthrough in biomaterials science for bone grafting and is largely the result of this know-how, together with the ongoing research we have maintained in recent years.

OPN: Can you explain briefly why Genex represents a breakthrough in bone grafting?
SB: We have developed a process to control zeta potential and, without labouring the science, gives Genex a property that harnesses in vivo, the proteins key to osteoblast differentiation. Research has shown that this leads to faster bone formation.

The importance of controlling zeta potential has previously been reported in the literature over several decades by prominent researchers in the field of bone growth. We believe that Biocomposites is the first company to develop a process to control and optimise zeta potential and that Genex is the first synthetic biomaterial to exploit this proven technology.

Biocomposites can be contacted on +44(0)1782 338580