TaperedPlus has launched the next phase of its partnership with Teesside University to embed artificial intelligence (AI) into its technical design processes — a move with the potential to spark innovation across the wider construction industry.
A national leader in flat roofing and insulation design, it was one of only two businesses selected from 67 applicants nationwide to secure a grant worth £270,000 from Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, which drives productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas.
The funding will support a 30-month Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) focused on digitising and automating the company’s traditionally manual design workflows.
As part of the project, Sam Ojuri has been appointed as Knowledge Transfer Partnership Associate and will work closely with Teesside University to lead the development and implementation of the AI-driven system.
Aman Chahal, CEO, of Stockton-on-Tees headquartered TaperedPlus, said: “We are delighted to welcome Sam to the team. His knowledge and passion for AI are critical in helping realise our vision of creating a smarter, more efficient future.
The pace of change since Covid is seven times faster than before and we want to be at the forefront of innovation and act as a disruptor in the roofing industry, driving real and beneficial change. This partnership will help digitise our operations, allowing us to remain competitive by improving productivity and delivering even greater value to customers.”
Sam Ojuri said: “This project is about transforming how technical information is captured and processed – turning time-consuming manual workflows into intelligent, automated systems.
We’re creating a smart solution that extracts key information, such as measurements and instructions from complex email chains, PDFs, and Word files, to streamline the design and specification processes, ultimately futureproofing the business.”
This builds upon the success of last year’s Accelerated Knowledge Transfer (AKT) project with Teesside University that focused on using Natural Language Processing (NLP) to automate the extraction and interpretation of technical requirements, laying the groundwork for AI-driven design tools.
The KTP expands on this work by incorporating Deep Learning (DL), Large Language Models (LLMs), and NLP into the development of the TaperedPlus Intelligent Design System.
This will introduce features like LLM-assisted drawing, predictive error detection, and business intelligence to support smarter decision-making. By embedding AI into its core processes, TaperedPlus aims to boost efficiency, reduce manual effort, and scale operations more effectively.
Sam Ojuri brings more than a decade of experience in AI, data science, ERP business intelligence, and analytics, and will collaborate with Dr Alessandro Di Stefano and Professor Farzad Rahimian, from Teesside University’s School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies.
Dr Di Stefano, Senior Lecturer in Computer Science, said: “This project represents an exciting opportunity to embed cutting-edge AI technologies into real-world business practices.”
Professor Farzad Rahimian, Professor of Digital Engineering, added: “By collaborating with TaperedPlus, we are helping to foster innovation, efficiency, and future growth within the company – with the potential to be introduced to the wider sector.”
The KTP is central to TaperedPlus’s wider digital transformation strategy, which also includes the development of an Augmented Reality (AR) roof measurement system in partnership with Middlesbrough-headquartered Alt Labs.