US life science company selects Oxfordshire’s Milton Park as first UK manufacturing hub
New England Biolabs® (NEB®) – a global leader in the discovery and production of enzymes for molecular biology applications – has announced it is establishing its first overseas product development and manufacturing site at Milton Park, one of the UK’s leading life science clusters.
NEB Lyophilization Sciences™ is a wholly owned subsidiary of NEB and specialises in the design, development and manufacturing of innovative solutions for ambient stored products. The company’s UK expansion follows NEB’s acquisition of Fluorogenics Limited (FGL) in May 2021. The move will enable it to broaden its offering of lyophilized reagents, which can be stored and shipped at room temperature, thereby reducing logistical burdens.
The new manufacturing space at 178 Brook Drive, which was redeveloped by Milton Park, is now being fitted out to deliver a purpose-built manufacturing, office and laboratory hub. Once fully operational, the state-of-the-art premises – with completion scheduled for the end of 2023 – will cover 30,000 sq ft of space, enabling the company to facilitate growth, particularly within the molecular diagnostics market. Additionally, the high-tech R&D space at Milton Park will also allow NEB Lyophilization Sciences to expand its solutions – providing high quality biological reagents across life science, applied applications, clinical in vitro diagnostics (IVD), research, veterinary and defence sectors.
The redevelopment and fit out of the building are being made possible through the Milton Park’s ten-day Local Development Order (LDO), which rapidly speeds up the delivery of buildings and infrastructure without the need for additional planning permission. It’s a move which has helped occupiers to capitalise on investment opportunities and supports the Park’s 2040 Vision, positioning itself as one of the most flexible locations for companies to establish and grow.
Kiran Gulati, Business Operations Director at New England Biolabs Lyophilization Sciences Ltd, said: “Milton Park offers the space to create bespoke, state-of-the-art facilities in an innovative setting with a range of amenities on its doorstep, making it the ideal setting for our new manufacturing hub. We believe the combination of our expertise in enzymology and the lyophilization process uniquely positions us to support customers in the molecular diagnostic space.
This new facility will help us to offer this seamless experience to customers through NEB Lyophilization Sciences – from enzyme development and manufacturing through to design of product format. As we’re focused on strengthening alliances to enable new technologies to reach key market sectors, we’re also keen to see how we can benefit from the Park being a centre of excellence when it comes to networking, with a view to potentially collaborating with other like-minded companies.”
Paul Britton, Chief Executive of Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce, commented: “Continued foreign investment into Oxfordshire time after time, showcases the regions attractiveness and appeal as a leading investment location. This is especially the case considering the strength and vitality of the Health and Life Science’s sector in the region, providing a cluster of world-leading companies and talent.”
