Giving biotech talent the space
to thrive


Health Tech World reports from the groundbreaking facilities at The
Wilton Centre in the Tees Valley

The Wilton Centre science park is one of the Tees Valley’s most vital assets in driving the region’s global presence forward, securing investment and helping to create jobs.

Since its creation in 2004, the reputation of The Wilton Centre has grown as quickly and strongly as the reputations of many of the businesses within it. It is now one of Europe’s leading research and development facilities, supporting businesses from the earliest stages to being international leaders in their fields. It is helping to attract inward investment and innovation into the Tees Valley, while nurturing those businesses already there.

Home to companies in the chemical, manufacturing, material and life sciences industries, many have gone on to achieve success globally, underpinned by the facilities, infrastructure and tailored support to enable that to happen. 

In a further draw for businesses, it was recently announced that 200 hectares of development land at Wilton, part of which extends to the Wilton Centre, will be included as part of Teesside’s 4,500-acre Freeport, the UK’s largest. This will provide a range of tax incentives for investing companies, among other benefits.

Another boon for the site is the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), an open-access independent innovation centre that supports the development of the UK process industry and UK manufacturing.

From biologics and precision medicine to smart materials and formulation, CPI’s collaborations with innovators solve the complex industrial challenges of today in a more efficient and sustainable manner.

And with the profile of the Tees Valley as an international biotech centre continuing to build, The Wilton Centre - with its 500,000sq ft of office, laboratory and pilot plant space, 75-acre site and track record in enabling business growth - is seeing interest soar. 

“In all my time here, we’ve never been in such an optimistic position with regard to attracting new business,” says Steve Duffield, site director at The Wilton Centre. 

“If companies at whatever stage are looking for space, we’ve got everything in one location. Here, you can start in a test tube and go all the way through to having a semi production plant. 

“And by having Wilton International right on our doorstep, there is the opportunity to continue to scale and go into full production.”

It is that opportunity to grow and develop which has continually proved popular to so many tenants over the years.  

One such global firm is Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, which has expanded its research base on the site to support its work. The company recently hit headlines internationally when its plant in Billingham began to manufacture the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine, but it is making great strides within Wilton.

“They needed to find the right type of space to accelerate particular projects, they came to us in March 2017 and our relationship continues to grow,” says Steve. 

“They initially took two floors of space, but that’s now grown to five, they’re a big occupier now.

“A number of our businesses began with one office and have grown exponentially. 

“Absolute Antibody was founded in Oxford and became aware of Wilton Centre when looking for laboratory accommodation. They came to visit, thought we looked good, and they’re still here.” 

Absolute Antibody is now globally known for its groundbreaking work in biotech, specialising in antibody sequencing and working alongside the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies in its efforts to develop vaccines and treatments. 

Demand for its expertise has been so strong during the pandemic that the company has almost tripled in size over the past year, with its physical presence at The Wilton Centre - part of the We Are Pioneer Group network of science parks - expanding in tandem. 

“Part of the reason for them coming here was they wanted to focus on the business and doing what they do best, not worrying about logistics or finding the right facilities or access to what they need - that’s all here,” says Steve, whose team offers support from lab, manufacturing and scale-up facility design through to sourcing investment, grants and seed capital. 

“That’s what we do well, provide the resources and support to a business from the earliest stages all the way through their journey. We look after people and their businesses.”

Continues below...


Wilton Centre
in numbers...


500,000 sq ft of office, lab
and pilot plant space


4,500 acres - size of Teesside's
Freeport in which Wilton is based

Home to 200+ business, making it one of Britain's biggest science parks

80+ per cent occupancy rate.

Guardian Marine Testing, now Lloyds Register GMT after being acquired, came to The Wilton Centre in 2008 as an idea which would go on to become a global entity. 

“Back then, they were just three chaps who believed they could do much better going out on their own, so they decided to bite the bullet, take a lab, and see how it went,” recalls Steve. 

“Since then, Lloyds Register have identified them as a company they wanted to invest in and be part of, and when that happened in 2011 it was the biggest deal of its kind. They now have a floor of labs here. 

“When I think back to those initial meetings I never dreamt we could be part of such a journey. It’s when you do think about how businesses like this started that you get the most satisfaction.”

With occupancy at more than 80 per cent, The Wilton Centre’s facilities and infrastructure are continually being developed, with a £2million refurbishment project currently under way to upgrade its communal areas. This will help it to attract even more new tenants who want to make the Tees Valley their base from which to grow.

“We have half a million square feet of space and a 75-acre site, so there are plenty of opportunities here, and we’re always open to talking about these opportunities,” says Steve, who arrived at the site under its previous iteration in 1996 for a four-week roof surveying project, and has stayed ever since. He has played a central role in the creation and development of The Wilton Centre as it is today.  

“Our ownership is very proactive and are committed to keep on developing what we have here. We don’t stand still. 

“We’ve seen businesses move from elsewhere in the country and have found The Wilton Centre as a place to grow, a place where they don’t need to worry about the incidentals and get on with running their business. 

“For businesses around the world, once they start looking into moving into the UK, they find that a lot of things they may have thought would prohibit them actually don’t.

“We have businesses here which have international presence, like Calysta which is in the US and UK, and all of its major R&D work happens here. The Wilton Centre is a great option for companies which need that kind of space. 

“This is an exciting time to be part of Wilton. Our traditional reputation is in wet chemistry but we are now known for our biopharma capability too, and that’s equally important and we continue to develop that further still.” 

Useful resources 

The Tees Valley is a major centre for the pharmaceutical industry, and the region is at the forefront of the growing opportunities in the biomanufacturing sector. Find out more here

Watch out for more on Tees Valley's biomanufacturing development on Health Tech World in the coming months. In the meantime, find out more below:
Invest Tees Valley
Bionow
CPI
Wilton Centre
National Horizons Centre 
NEPIC

CPI, based at The Wilton Centre.

CPI, based at The Wilton Centre.

CPI, based at The Wilton Centre.

CPI, based at The Wilton Centre.