ADVERTORIAL: Groundbreaking project will help clear the air in Neath Port Talbot
The boss of a pioneering Swansea Bay company that is getting to grips with the thorny issue of air pollution has welcomed the opportunity to make a difference in the local community.
These are significant times for Vortex IoT, which has also just relocated from its Swansea base to the refurbished Metal Box factory site in Neath, creating 50 jobs into the bargain over the next 18 months.
It has joined forces with Neath Port Talbot Council to break new ground in Wales by carrying out a pilot study testing the concept of localised air pollution monitoring.
The company is also sponsoring the female tech talent category in this year’s Swansea Bay Business Awards at the city’s Brangwyn Hall on October 21.
Vortex IoT managing director and co-founder Adrian Sutton is relishing the chance that the company has to contribute to better air quality in its patch.
Engineers from the company are using digital technology to get a clearer picture of the extent of the problem in the county.
That will inform the council of pollution hotspots and previously unknown sources, which, combined, will enable the authority to take measures to improve air quality and ultimately improve the health of residents.
They are now getting used to the sight of digital sensors attached to lampposts as the main plank of the data-retrieving operation.
Vortex IoT has fitted 70 sensors in areas like Margam, Taibach, Aberavon, and the surrounds of Baglan Energy Park.
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Managing director Adrian Sutton said: “I think it is incumbent on businesses like ourselves in Swansea Bay to support these initiatives and both promote and celebrate the innovative companies and aspiring talent we have on our doorstep. We are passionate about developing young talent and encouraging females to follow STEM-related subject areas and opt for a career in technology.
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“We have got 12 nationalities across the team so we are very diverse but overly male-biased in gender profile. We have market-leading products with a genuine purpose and focus upon championing a better, decarbonised world and making a real difference through innovation and technology.”
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Vortex IoT will also create 50 highly skilled engineering and manufacturing jobs in the next 18 months.
Mr Sutton said: “We are really privileged to be working with Neath Port Talbot Council and Swansea Bay City Deal on this pioneering project.
“I live in the area and our company has its roots in the Swansea Bay City region. The opportunity to deliver an environmental impact to the community in which we are based and to contribute to improved air quality and decarbonisation is one we are truly excited about. We will go above and beyond to deliver value to the residents of Neath Port Talbot.”
Getting more women into the technology sector
Chrissie Norris, head of people at Vortex IoT, joined the team 18 months ago and has helped manage a doubling of headcount in that period.
“At Vortex, we have a people-focused mindset and culture,” she said. “I’m in awe of the different skills our team have and their ability to create such unique products.
“Across the technology sector, it’s a fact that women are the minority. As a sector, we have the ability, want, and need to help young girls continue to take up science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) into university and feel they can have a happy and meaningful career within the area they choose.
“Vortex has taken a pledge to do whatever we can, from speaking to young girls and young women in schools and colleges to adapting the language we use on job descriptions, anonymising our recruitment process, reviewing our benefits and promoting a fair and inclusive culture within.”
So Chrissie is encouraging women to make a career in technology.
“It’s so rewarding to feel that we are championing and part of creating a more sustainable world,” she said.
And so to the Swansea Bay Business Awards 2021
They take place at the Brangwyn Hall on Thursday, October 21, and will highlight the brilliant, innovative work throughout Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.
In all, 16 awards will be handed out, covering a host of areas of business. Maybe yours would be a good fit for one of the categories or you may want to nominate someone for an individual award.
Either way, enter now before the deadline of Monday, August 2.
For more information, including about tickets, visit the website.