Flood defence system wins innovation award

Flood defence company Fluvial Innovations have been announced as a winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation.

They have been awarded the prestigious accolade for the development of its flood defence system, Floodstop, which protects properties against the cost and misery which arises from flooding.

Designed as a cost-effective alternative to sandbags, the Floodstop flood barrier was the brainchild of founder and director of Fluvial Innovations Simon Phelps while he was studying for a degree in computer-aided product design at Bournemouth University.

On graduating in 2005, Simon initially worked alongside Bournemouth University to commercialise the patented technology and also spent six months studying entrepreneurship in the USA as a Kauffman Global Scholar.

Following the product’s launch in 2008, Floodstop has been sold throughout the world protecting private households, businesses, governmental bodies and vital infrastructures.

Its client list includes nuclear sites, San Francisco public utilities, The UK Environment Agency, Coca-Cola, Warsaw Metro, The National Trust and The RAF.

They say their modular flood barrier has proved an effective and re-usable solution to sandbags and can be rapidly assembled by one person with ease.

The barrier works as a series of interlocking plastic units which self-fill with flood water and, together with interlocking keys, secure it to the ground so it can withstand water flow.

The Queen’s Award for Enterprise is given to forward-thinking UK businesses that excel at innovation, sustainable development or international trade.

Founder and managing director, Simon Phelps commented: ‘We are delighted to be awarded such an incredible and highly esteemed award.  This is a huge achievement for Fluvial Innovations. We are proud not only of our commercial success but also in knowing that we are providing a solution to the enormous misery, disruption and cost resulting from flooding.’

Last month, UK Flood Forum chief executive Paul Cobbing wrote in Environment Journal urging the government to rethink their approach to flood defences.