Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
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LBU Impact Series: Research-led partnerships to help secure future of two Guiseley heritage businesses
The partnerships are Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) projects, part-funded by UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) through Innovate UK, bringing together academic expertise and industry knowledge to help both businesses evolve in a very competitive and fast-changing marketplace.
At Haighs Bakery, a team of marketing researchers from LBU will work closely with the business to co-develop a new strategic model. This will help the bakery adapt more dynamically to customer needs, streamline operation and future-proof its business.
Established in 1950, Haighs Bakery is a highly regarded bakery, with a loyal customer base. Haighs produce bread, fresh pastry goods and cakes, serving clients such as shops, schools, universities and takeaways.
At the same time, a cross-disciplinary academic team will be just around the corner supporting Abraham Moon & Sons Ltd – the historic woollen mill established in 1837 – in preserving its unique heritage and skilled workforce.
The project will use research insights to modernise traditional manufacturing processes without compromising on craftsmanship or quality. The brand has been around for almost two centuries and recently received a boost from Billie Eilish wearing a baseball cap made from their signature cloth at the Grammy Awards. Its fabric collection is supplied to retailers including Prada and Burberry.
Rod Brown, Managing Director of Moon, said: “Working with Leeds Beckett on the KTP will allow Moon to disrupt the existing woollen industry model, securing our heritage and future through significant improvements to current processes and culture. We want to safeguard one of the only true ‘vertical mills’ in the UK by creating a multi-skilled workforce and ensuring that we preserve our unique skills and knowledge.”
Adam Haigh, Managing Director of Haighs Bakery, said: “At Haighs, our ambition is to expand, strengthen and future-proof our business model through strategic, sustainable growth in our existing markets, and to attain the confidence, knowledge and strategic know-how to successfully identify and enter new markets. This KTP will support a cultural change within Haighs – allowing us to achieve our ambitions."
Inclusive, Prosperous Communities is a key priority for our research and knowledge exchange work in the School, and we are committed to helping develop a strong, inclusive economy by sharing knowledge to help businesses and communities grow, innovate, and diversify. We are delighted to be bringing our expertise in working with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to support the long-term sustainability of Haighs and Moon, and the Guiseley community.
Our focus is on applied research and knowledge exchange that enables productivity improvements, resilience building, and responsible growth, ensuring that progress is achieved without losing the authenticity and character of the businesses and communities we work with.
Each KTP project will be led by a skilled graduate KTP associate, who will be a full-time member of the business, with full support of the LBU academic teams.
For more information and to apply for the KTP Associate role of Process Analyst and Transformation Lead at Moon - please visit the Leeds Beckett Jobs website. The closing date for applications is 19 June 2025.
Leeds Beckett University is currently ranked eighth in the UK for its number of active KTPs.
The Haighs Bakery KTP is led by Dr Catherine Ashworth, Senior Lecturer in Global and Strategic Marketing, with Helen Hepworth, a Lecturer specialising in consumer goods and grocery retail, and Dr Carl Clare, a Senior Lecturer specialising in management and marketing – all within Leeds Business School.
The Moon KTP is led by Dr Karen Vollum-Dix, Senior Lecturer within the Leadership, Governance and People Management subject group at Leeds Business School, with Dr David Love, Course Director in Electronics and Robotics, with extensive academic and industry experience in process engineering.
In this article
Professor George Lodorfos
George has extensive practical and academic experience in the field of strategic management, R and D (research and development) and the adoption of new technologies and innovation. He has done extensive research and enterprise work in the area of buyer behaviour, with particular interest in online purchasing and the use of technology to enable the sustainable growth of businesses. He has also supervised and examined many PhDs both in the UK and Europe and is an external examiner for two UK universities.
Dr Catherine Ashworth
With a practitioner background at an international level, a strategic marketing PhD and around 15-years of knowledge transfer partnership (KTP) consultancy experience as lead academic, Catherine has won many Innovate UK bids and led countless organisations to growth.
Helen Hepworth
Helen Hepworth is an experienced Grocery retail specialist who has worked both in the UK and internationally for over 20 years. Working with major UK and Global retailers, she has developed specialisms in Category Management, Innovation and Product Development.
Dr Carl Clare
Dr Carl Clare is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an experienced Senior Lecturer in Business Strategy and Marketing. He has held a range of leadership roles in HE and hold publications in established academic journals.
Dr Karen Vollum-Dix
Senior lecturer in the Leadership, Governance and People Management subject group at Leeds Business School. Doctoral studies were a Phenomenographic study of the variation is individual perceptions of values. Current teaching specialisms include the development of student employability skills and self awareness.
Dr David Love
David's background is in high-integrity systems, first in the minerals handling industry then in aerospace. He was drawn into software engineering during his PhD and is committed to enhancing our understanding of how to treat software-based systems as engineered systems.
