ONE of Bolton Institute's industry partners has received the Queen's Award for Enterprise (Innovation category).

Huddersfield-based Andel Ltd is a market leader in water leak detection technology and has installations in prominent buildings such as Canary Wharf, the Ministry of Defence and Windsor Castle.

A second generation microcontroller-based detection system -- developed in conjunction with Bolton Institute -- received an Award for Engineering Excellence last year from the Royal Academy of Engineering.

The partnership also received a Millennium Project award in the year 2000.

The collaboration between the Institute and Andel was part of the Teaching Company Scheme which encourages universities to work closer with industry.

TCS, which is funded by a number of Government departments and national agencies, enables small to medium-sized companies to take advantage of academic and research expertise within higher education.

The company "employs" a graduate with appropriate knowledge and skills to work on a specific project.

So far, 60 per cent of scheme associates have been offered full-time jobs.

Mr Ian Pogson, Andel's Managing Director, said: "Working alongside the Bolton Institute team has given us the opportunity to develop the products to keep up with new technologies and stay ahead of the competition.

"TCS gave us a tremendous boost in confidence.

"Our turnover will be four times what it was before the Programme and double what it would have been without TCS."

The team's TCS associate, Mr Marshall Booth, is now Andel's technical manager.

Mr Harold Convey, Bolton Institute's Academic Supervisor, said today: "The award is one that has international acclaim and tremendous kudos. It acknowledges innovation and excellence in engineering and technology.

"Equally important to Bolton Institute is the recognition, at the highest level, of our success at working with and relating to the industrial and commercial sectors."