Owen Catchpole is a world leader in the development of solvent-based processes to extract high value bio-active chemicals from a range of feedstocks. He has enabled a major culture and business shift in the application of Chemical Process Engineering in the New Zealand Bio- and Agri-business sectors. His design of a portable containerised Supercritical Extraction plant “SuperEx” – which can be trucked directly to an industrial test site – brought pilot plant technology directly to the industry partner, greatly ‘de-risking’ industry investment. The outcomes of his engineering have enabled multiple commercial enterprises to be established and succeed in New Zealand, all focused on purifying and selling tens of millions of dollars per annum of high value bio-active extracts to an international market. The industries and sectors now benefiting range from manuka honey and propolis to cosmeceuticals from wood wastes. His leadership of the technology transfer process includes extended industry secondments. His unique engineering approach is underpinned by a broad portfolio of patents and specialist engineering publications
