Local company cleans up at UTV Business Awards

Receiving the award is Chris Lomas, Sales Director of Xpelgum with Sam Kingham Sector Manager of R&D category sponsors Invest NI and Flybe cabin crew members Kara Doherty and Victoria Montgomery.

Lisburn company Expelliere won the prestigious award for their recently launched product Xpelgum, an ionic-based solution which aids the safe removal of discarded chewing gum.

The technology was first developed at Queen’s University Belfast six years ago and since then over £2m has been invested by the local business consortium to take the ground-breaking technology to the point where it can now be launched to a global chewing gum clean-up market estimated to be in the region of $50bn.

The product was successfully launched last month and Sales Director Chris Lomas who picked up the award is delighted with the response so far. “I’m delighted that Xpelgum has been recognised with this prestigious award just one month after its successful launch in Ireland,” said Chris.

“The innovative chemistry on which Xpelgum is based has already been recognised as the most important British Invention of the 21st century by the Science Museum.”

“A team of scientists at Queen’s University Ionic Liquid Laboratories (QUILL) has been developing the technology of these ‘green’ solvents and with global patents already in place for Xpelgum for the next 20 years, and we are confident that the menace of discarded chewing gum on streets all over the world will soon become a thing of the past,” he continued.

“Since last month’s launch we have had significant interest from both private and public businesses across which has confirmed our belief that we have developed a product with true global appeal,” Chris added.

Michael Wilson, Managing Director of UTV Television, said: “Congratulations to Expelliere for winning the R & D project for its fantastic new product Xpelgum. The calibre of entries for this year’s awards show that there are plenty of ambitious, confident and well led companies operating in Northern Ireland.

“UTV is delighted once again to recognise and celebrate these top achievers and organisations in such a positive way. These awards represent all that is good about business in Northern Ireland and it is great to see growth and success in so many sectors in spite of the tough times,” added Michael.