The latest Business updates from the science industry


New Investment to Strengthen UK’s Place in Global Pharma Market by Heather Hobbs


A £56 million investment into a UK innovation centre in Scotland, which includes the University of Strathclyde as a strategic partner is set to dramatically improve the speed of bringing new drugs to market by transforming the way medicines are produced.


The world-fi rst, industry-led Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre (MMIC) will offer pharma companies, from start-ups through to multinational organisations, a service to develop and adopt novel manufacturing techniques to adapt into their own manufacturing processes. The centre is to be located in Renfrewshire.


The new centre will be positioned next to the £65 million National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland (NMIS), of which Strathclyde is the anchor university and at the heart of an Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District. The MMIC aims to attract over £80 million of R&D investment by 2028 and will create 80 high value jobs directly by 2023. Up to 90 jobs will also be created or retained in companies


involved in the design and build phase and post-construction.


The MMIC will also translate to industry the output of the EPSRC Centre for Continuous Manufacturing and Advanced Crystallisation, a UK-wide consortium also led by the University of Strathclyde.


Scottish Government Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy, Paul Wheelhouse, said: “I am delighted that the MMIC will be located in Scotland, given its potential to become a global centre of excellence and bringing signifi cant benefi ts to Scotland’s economy. The location of the MMIC is also a very positive endorsement of Scotland’s Life and Chemical Science sectors and will build on our internationally recognised strengths in both Research and Development and manufacturing.


“Scottish Enterprise, on behalf of Scottish Ministers, is investing £15 million in the MMIC helping to fulfi l the vision of Scotland’s


Specac Wins Prestigious Queen’s Award


Specac sell into the forensic, life science, pharma, research and quality control application industries and their products are used by scientists in laboratories; whether that be in academia, government institutions or in industry, enabling users to determine the chemical make-up of liquid, solid and gas samples. The application areas are vast, from pharmaceuticals and forensics to food and beverage, oils and lubricants and quality control.


Their motto is, Enabling Great Science, and they take pride in increasing awareness throughout the world of how their products can help scientists fi nd solutions to their applications. They believe that for every 10 people that have heard of Specac, there are another 100 that they wish had heard of them so will continue to travel the globe telling the story.


David Smith, Managing Director of Specac said: “I’m deeply honoured that the business I’ve had the privilege to lead for the last ten years has won such a prestigious award. I believe it represents recognition at the highest level for a good commercial strategy, high quality in everything we design and make and mostly, the hard work over a long period of an amazing team.”


The Specac team.


Specac is delighted to announce that it has won the Queen’s Award for International Trade. Her Majesty The Queen has approved the Prime Minister’s recommendation for the award and the citation reads:


Specac Ltd is based in Orpington, Kent and has been in business since 1971. They design and manufacture accessories for spectrometers used in science and industry. In particular, they supply sample-analysis accessories, high-specifi cation equipment using mirrors and crystal materials to direct infrared light. They sell to 70 countries across fi ve continents, including the United States, China, Germany, Singapore and Japan. Innovation in new product development is key, with a target of three new products a year. Export represents 90% of their sales and the remaining 10% is often exported by original equipment manufacturers. Export has been the heart of the business since 2008 when they fi rst travelled overseas to actively manage relationships, visit trade shows and boost sales. With growth in overseas sales, total sales and percentage overseas sales, whilst turning losses into profi t, Specac Ltd wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Continuous Growth in overseas sales over the last six years.


Rodney Appiah, Investment Director from Specac’s majority shareholder, Foresight Group said: “To have been recognised for the Queens Award for International Trade is a testament to the dedication and effort of David and the talented staff at Specac. With the benefi t of Foresight’s support, Specac has continued to innovate and refi ne their offering both at home and abroad. We look forward to continuing our successful partnership over the coming years.”


Jo Johnson, MP for Orpington, Minister of State at the Department of Transport and until recently, Minister of State for Universities and Science commented: “It is fantastic news that Specac has been recognised for its considerable contribution to international trade at the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise. This prestigious award is an outstanding achievement of which the company and its employees should be very proud.


We would like to place on record our appreciation of our key partners, both suppliers and customers, without whom this award would not have been possible. We are a hugely ambitious business and we consider the success we’ve achieved as merely a beginning. We welcome new, collaborative partners as we expand our horizons and try to help more scientists to resolve their application needs.”


45918pr@reply-direct.com New SFI Centre to Create Nationwide Job Openings


Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys TD has opened Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Research Centre, CONFIRM, a ‘smart manufacturing’ research centre led by University of Limerick (UL) and involving 42 companies. The centre is funded by SFI and industry to a value of €47 million, making it one of the largest new research and development centres in the country. The manufacturing sector is the second largest employer in Ireland and accounts for 24% of total economic output - €110 billion in exports.


Launched in May, the new centre’s headquarters at


Park Point, close to the main University of Limerick campus, had been empty for some time and the university will continue to invest in its rejuvenation.


The CONFIRM SFI Research Centre is supported by 42 Industry partners including technology providers and end users from the Multi-National Corporation (MNC) and Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sectors across Ireland.


Speaking at the launch Minister Heather Humphreys, TD, said: “CONFIRM will benefi t Ireland through enabling us to compete internationally, generating employment, enhancing student skills and attracting


new investment. We are delighted to support this centre which will transform manufacturing in Ireland through the expertise of highly-skilled researchers.”


Dr Ciarán Seoighe, Deputy Director General of Science Foundation Ireland, said: “CONFIRM is supported through Science Foundation Ireland’s Research Centres Programme. This Programme has established a network of 17 world-leading research centres across Ireland that combine investment from Government and industry partners. The research centres are a tangible demonstration of the Government’s commitment


to excellent scientifi c research in Ireland. By enhancing Ireland’s smart manufacturing systems through expert research, CONFIRM, alongside the other SFI Research Centres, will deliver important scientifi c advances that


will


enhance our economy, provide excellent training for students and maintain Ireland’s outstanding global reputation. I look forward to the impactful projects that CONFIRM will lead in smart manufacturing over the coming years.”


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Life Sciences Strategy. This will help to make Scotland the location of choice for the life sciences community and help us grow the industry’s contribution to the Scottish Economy by 90%, to £8 billion by 2025.”


“As well as helping to attract further manufacturing investment to Scotland, the Centre will also be well placed to support new business start-ups and spin-outs and enable established life sciences companies.


Supported by Scottish Enterprise (£15 million), UK Research and Innovation, through Innovate UK (£13 million) GSK and AstraZeneca (£7 million each), the MMIC is one of the fi rst projects across the UK to receive funding from the UK’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.


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