Is lab space in the North East running out? A new study by the Centre for Process Innovation and Square One Law warns that the shortage is stalling innovation just as the region’s life sciences sector is taking off.
The North East Pharma, Health Tech & Life Sciences Landscape Survey emphasises that addressing this shortfall is crucial to fostering a thriving research and development ecosystem for life sciences in the North East, commenting that the lack of lab space “hinders the development and expansion of the region’s science and technology sectors.”
Wilton Centre has long been helping to bridge this gap, providing high-spec labs that support growth, research, and the next wave of scientific breakthroughs. In response to the report’s findings, it is making nearly 6,000 sq. ft of laboratory space available, along with 2,000 sq. ft of office accommodation – a much-needed boost for growing businesses in the sector.
In addition, plans have been approved for a major new Freeport Development at Wilton Centre. The site will expand by almost 150,000 sq ft, bringing much-needed technical/manufacturing space, laboratories and offices to Teesside, plus creating space for several hundred new jobs. Find out more.
A Hub for Growing Science Businesses
Situated between Middlesbrough and Redcar, Wilton Centre has a 50-year legacy of supporting technology businesses and life sciences in the North East. The site provides not just state-of-the-art facilities but also an infrastructure designed to meet the needs of innovative companies.
Wilton Centre has attracted spin-outs from top universities like Imperial College London, the University of Manchester, and nearby Durham University, thanks to its ready-made lab space and strong support network.
Thriving at Wilton Centre
Micropore Technologies
Micropore Technologies is a global leader in precision emulsification, encapsulation, and crystallisation. Its cutting-edge AXF™ membrane-based equipment allows seamless scaling from lab experiments to full-scale commercial production, ensuring consistency and efficiency across industries like pharmaceuticals, food, and advanced materials.
The company was founded in 2003 to commercialise a breakthrough technology developed by Professor Richard Holdich of Loughborough University. Nine years ago, it moved its operations to Wilton Centre and has continued to grow rapidly; Micropore Technologies now operates worldwide, with offices in the USA, India, South Korea, and Japan.
Dave Palmer, Technical Manager at Micropore Technologies, highlights how Wilton Centre has supported the company’s growth: “As the company expanded, Wilton Centre helped us identify additional lab capacity, so we were able to grow at the exact moment we needed the extra space. The integrated services have also been a significant help, especially when compared to our previous premises where we had to look after everything ourselves.”
Watch the video below to find out more about Micropore Technologies’ work.
Absolute Antibody
Among the businesses that are thriving at Wilton Centre is Absolute Antibody. Founded in Oxford in August 2012, Absolute Antibody envisions a future where all antibody users have access to recombinant antibodies, precisely defined by their amino acid sequence. Rather than developing entirely new antibodies or antibody-like molecules, the company is focused on building a comprehensive catalogue by refining existing antibodies (often derived from hybridomas).
Having initially set up a manufacturing facility at the Wilton Centre in 2014, Absolute Antibody then transferred its headquarters there. Now a global leader, it serves customers in 65 countries and supplies 14 of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. In 2021, the company was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade for its contributions during the pandemic.
Sappi
Also based at Wilton Centre, Sappi is a global diversified woodfibre company focused on providing dissolving wood pulp, specialities and packaging papers, printing and writing papers, biomaterials, and biochemicals to our customer base in more than 150 countries.
The company has recently taken on a second laboratory at Wilton Centre to develop fibrillated cellulose-based additives for use in skincare products such as face creams and moisturisers. Because they’re made from trees and are not petrochemical-based, these products are renewable and much more environmentally friendly.
Supporting Life Sciences in the North East
Wilton Centre is committed to helping businesses like Absolute Antibody, Sappi and Micropore Technologies to grow. Claire Morton, Leasing & Assistant Asset Manager at Wilton Centre, explains: “Although laboratory space is at a premium, we always work with businesses to find solutions. Companies like Absolute Antibody started with a single lab and expanded significantly. We always find a way.”
It’s not just current occupiers who are scaling up. Wilton Centre itself is set to expand, with plans submitted for a 180,000 sq. ft. development, including new manufacturing space, laboratories, and offices within the Teesside Freeport boundary. Two further spaces – 4,800 sq. ft. and nearly 4,000 sq. ft. – have been freed up in the site’s Technical Development Area.
