12 manufacturing
NanoSight doubles its footprint in Wiltshire
One of the fastest-growing bio-tech companies in the UK has doubled space at a business park in Wiltshire on the back of global demand for its revolutionary products.
Award-winning NanoSight, which employs 30 people on location and a further 17 globally, signed a 10-year lease on nearly 894 sq m of mixed-used space at Minton House, Minton Distribution Park, Amesbury, near Salisbury.
Led by founder Dr Bob Carr, the firm manufactures unique nanoparticle characterisation technology, supported by software and hardware development.
The technology allows the tiniest of particles to be identified, sized and counted in minutes through instrumentation tens of thousands of pounds cheaper than an electron microscope. More than 90% of sales are for export, with particular demand from pharmaceuticals and life sciences overseas.
To date more than 600 instruments have been sold; blue-chip clients include Unilever, Pfizer, Proctor and Gamble and GlaxoSmithKline.
To meet the new requirements of NanoSight, park landlord Minton refurbished available and interlinked space into labs, storage, break-out areas, warehousing and offices.
Maureen Driver, Minton’s senior asset manager, said: “NanoSight is an inspirational business
NanoSight founder Dr Bob Carr, left, and chief executive Jeremy Warren Manufacturing is up in Q2
Manufacturers in the south have seen prospects improve, according to the second quarter 'Manufacturing Outlook' survey published this week by EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, in conjunction with accountants and business advisers BDO LLP in Southampton.
The survey indicates that both output and orders for South East manufacturers have strengthened in the last quarter, to a balance of +45% and +32% respectively compared to the 28% and 22% predicted. Only manufacturers in the East Midlands recorded a higher order book balance, with the South East reporting the highest output balance.
UK wide, the domestic market has improved as companies report the first positive balance on UK sales since 2012 Q2. However, responses were somewhat weaker on export sales, and manufacturers are a bit less optimistic about a strong rebound in overseas sales compared with three months ago.
EEF chief economist Lee Hopley commented: “Positive manufacturing data has been somewhat easier to find in recent months, and our latest survey provides further confidence
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that the sector’s prospects are improving. While the demand environment in major European markets remains weak and some individual industrial sectors are facing their own specific challenges, the widespread improvement in our survey indicators is welcome news. However, a couple of aspects – namely the relative weakness in export orders and the softening in investment intentions – suggest that confidence may still be tempered for now.”
Arbinder Chatwal, head of manufacturing at BDO in Southampton, added: “There seems a definite lightening of the mood among manufacturers in the region supported by positive order balances, particularly on the south coast. If these results are anything to go by, it's not doing any harm to manufacturing SME confidence for future growth and jobs creation in the Solent region. However, recovery in the sector still remains tentative, which is clearly illustrated by firms’ reluctance to commit to future investment plans.
"The survey results also show that companies are less optimistic about export orders, but it is not yet clear whether this is due to
the difficulties in Europe or difficulties in establishing a sustainable presence in the fast- growing emerging markets.
"It is at this important point where it is crucial for government and lenders to get behind the numerous positive indicators emerging from the sector, and do all they can to help build the momentum of a recovery or risk seeing things stutter once more.”
Looking forward, South East and South West manufacturers appear confident that output will remain at a positive balance of 40% and 12% respectively, but are less optimistic of new work coming though in the next three months.
With medium to long-term growth still unclear, investment intentions have taken a hit. In the past quarter, the number of companies looking to invest has fallen slightly, with the percentage balance of businesses in the south planning to increase capital expenditure, dipping from +12% to +11% in 2013 Q1. This is a potential point of concern, if the trend persists.
More positively, the balance of companies increasing headcount over the past three months has improved; increasing from +11% in 2013 Q1 to +27%. This is above the average reported nationally of +11% in 2013 Q2.
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – JULY/AUGUST 2013
that UK plc should be proud of – the firm employs world-beating research scientists and is creating valuable and high-value jobs in the heart of Wiltshire.
“It was clear to me that Bob and Jean Carr were ambitious for NanoSight when they arrived
here in 2008 and it has been a pleasure to help them flex up by creating new facilities, doubling the firm’s footprint here.”
NanoSight was recently selected to receive the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation, 2013. The accolade follows on from the one bestowed last year – the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade.
Salisbury-based commercial property consultancy Myddelton & Major is the sole agent for Minton Distribution Park.
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