A clean air technology company is ramping up its focus on innovation with a new department specialising in the research and development of products for the healthcare sector.
Mike Dunne (pictured) has been promoted to head the new Medical Technical team at Howorth Air Technology, and has joined the company’s operating board. The department will spearhead the design and implementation of new products for operating theatres at both NHS and private hospitals, as well as the commissioning and handover of equipment. Mike Dunne’s team will also offer training, education, guidance, and consultancy, to support customers in the UK and overseas, and work with clients to help them reduce energy consumption and maximise environmental efficiencies. The first recruits to work alongside Mike are Dean Crowder and Torr Salkeld, who have joined Howorth as a Medical Commissioning manager and Medical Commissioning engineer respectively. Further appointments are planned over coming months.
Howorth, which has its headquarters in Farnworth, Bolton, and a facility at Raven Locks in Little Hulton, Salford, designs, manufactures, and assembles ultraclean air equipment for use in operating theatres, and for the pharma, biotechnology, and life science industries. The company is currently installing more than 30 ultraclean ventilation systems in operating theatres across the UK, and its new Medical Technical team is working on barn theatre projects in the UK and overseas. The group turns over more than £20 m a year, and employs over 130 staff across its operations in the UK and the US.
Managing director, Jim Liptrot, said: “Mike will play a leading part overseeing the continuous development and improvement of the existing Howorth medical product range to ensure we remain the leader in our field, and will review, develop, and plan, the implementation of new products with the support of the design team.
“He will also be building a commissioning team capable of increasing the quality and experience for end users in collaboration with the medical operations team. Mike will promote, engage, and support Howorth customers in the UK and globally, as well as representing the business at national and international industry-related forums.
Mike Dunne, 37, joined Howorth in 2009 as a newly qualified electrical engineer, and became a team leader, before being promoted to become a Service and Aftersales Technical manager in the company’s Medical Division. He has helped deliver ‘scores’ of medical projects for Howorth across the UK, Ireland, North America and the Middle East. Last year he was elected as a Fellow of IHEEM.
