Polythene manufacturer bpi.visqueen has announced that it will sponsor a PhD student at Lancaster University.

Eslam el Fadly, currently a staff member at Alexandria University in Egypt, will focus on research related to plastics technology in Middle Eastern environments, in particular the effects of UV light, in the Biological Sciences department.

Egypt has seen a huge expansion in its vegetable industry in recent years, due to a high export demand. Much of this produce is found on supermarket shelves in Europe and the Middle East, and the quality standards required for the produce supplied has caused Egyptian growers to focus more acutely on avoiding plant stress and disease.

John Phoenix, bpi.visqueen’s sales director, said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring this project which will ultimately deliver a trained scientist who can take forward horticulture film technology in the world’s hotter climates.

“The growing concern over climate change in Europe and the expanding markets of North Africa call for greater understanding of the effects of UV light and bpi.visqueen see the examination of this topic as fundamental to developing the right film products for the future.”