Hi-tech industriesin Salisbury and South Wiltshire

bio-technology

healthcare

avionics

pharmaceuticals

electronics

bio-science

Technology in South Wiltshire

The here and now

South Wiltshire offers businesses the unique combination of aworld-class forum for science and technology and an outstandingquality of life. Many of these businesses are located in the SalisburyResearch Triangle, which is focused around three long-established,world-class research and development facilities:

● Dstl (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory) at Porton Down,the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) centre for chemical and biologicaldefence research to provide protection to UK armed forces andBritish civilians;

● QinetiQ at MoD Boscombe Down, the military airfield andassociated facilities for testing of all UK military aircraft andairborne weapons;

● the Health Protection Agency (HPA), global leader in vaccinedevelopment and medical testing.

Together they contribute to a unique range of facilities and skill setsthat create a supportive environment for transferring knowledgebetween companies, both established and developing.

“South Wiltshire enjoys the lowest unemployment in the UK andthe strongest science base in the South. The voice of local scienceand technology is heard loud and clear in Westminster andWhitehall. Please come and be part of our way of life!”

Robert Key, MP for Salisbury and Shadow Minister for Science

“As Dstl Porton Down expands further, thepotential for creating more joint venturecompanies for exploiting military science incivilian applications is expected to increase.”

Martin Earwicker, Dstl’s Chief Executive

Locating your business here can be truly inspiring; with innovative,hi-tech ventures at every turn and a way of life that benefits frombeautiful landscapes, a choice of city or village living, excellentschools and a range of fantastic leisure activities.

South Wiltshire offers excellent communications and some greatlocations for businesses working in the broad area of technology,from bioscience incubator units at Tetricus to high quality businessproperties, particularly at Solstice Park, the 160-acre mixed-usebusiness park situated alongside the busy A303 trunk road.

By the end of July 2005, 99.8% of South Wiltshire will be able toaccess Broadband.

The visionSouth Wiltshire Economic Partnership (SWEP) has a vision for Salisbury to be recognised as a European centre forinternational business, technology and tourism.

The SWEP vision aims to exploit the specialist technology, and research and development capabilities of South Wiltshire,to provide opportunities for commercial business developmentand investment.

Salisbury Research Triangle,a centre for research excellence

The key players, based in the Salisbury Research Triangle, are at the forefront of research in the biotechnology, healthcare andavionics industries. Together they form a centre for research that is without equal.

Many civil sector businesses are already exploiting the area’sexceptional expertise and facilities, taking advantage of the twoestablished research institutes – Dstl (Defence Science and TechnologyLaboratory) and HPA (Health Protection Agency), both world-classcentres of excellence in bioscience.

Companies such as Morvus Technology, GW Pharmaceuticals andAlaska Food Diagnostics are success stories that highlight the benefitsof bio-tech clusters. The firms’ proximity to each other enables andfosters better networking and communication between specialistswhich opens up new markets and promotes partnerships.

Aerospace and defence expertise are centred around MoD BoscombeDown, a fully operational military airfield located in the heart of theSalisbury Research Triangle. The MoD’s test and evaluation service iscurrently operated there by QinetiQ.

Hi-tech further afield

Elsewhere in South Wiltshire many other hi-tech companies have setup in business, attracted to the area by the working environment,the availability of high quality employees and an entrepreneurialspirit that is both inspiring and infectious.

ML Electronics, based to the south of Salisbury, specialises inelectronics technology and has recently achieved great success after anumber of groundbreaking projects in the medical field. Mike Lloyd,Managing Director said: “We have everything we need; high speedbroadband access, excellent networking opportunities, and a qualityof life that the people who work for us love.”

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ILE Salisbury District Hospital has an international reputation for

innovative research and pioneering scientific work, particularly in the area of medical physics and biomedical engineering.

Ground-breaking work is also carried out by leading geneticists in the Wessex Regional Genetics Laboratory at Salisbury DistrictHospital. The lab is one of only two reference centres for the UK.

Health Protection Agency

Research is the driving force behind HPA Porton Down with the centre being recognised as a world leader in high qualitymicrobiological research and testing. State of the art facilitiesprovide the establishment with capabilities that few otherlaboratories in the world possess for the development and testing of new biopharmaceuticals, including vaccines andtherapeutic products.

“The Health Protection Agency is an independent body that protectsthe health and well-being of everyone in England and Wales. TheAgency plays a critical role in protecting people from infectiousdiseases and in preventing harm when hazards involving chemicals,poisons or radiation occur. We also prepare for new and emergingthreats such as a bio-terrorist attack or virulent new strains of disease.

HPA’s centre on the Porton Down site conducts research into thedevelopment of new healthcare products, including vaccines againstdiseases such as meningitis and tuberculosis. We manufacture anumber of medicines in our production facilities, including one totreat childhood leukaemia, as well as defence vaccines to protectservice personnel. Diagnostic and reference capabilities assist medicsto identify exotic diseases, for example those contracted by peopletravelling abroad. The centre is already home to commercialpartnerships with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies from around the world.

Being based at Porton has the benefits of being a secure location in a pleasant area of southernEngland with good communication links andaccess to a skilled workforce.”

Dr Phil Luton, Health Protection Agency

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Dstl

Dstl Porton Down has been a site of scientific excellence for manyyears and is now expanding its knowledge base even further as itundergoes refurbishment and expansion to become its agency’sheadquarters.

Dstl is part of the MoD and is its trusted adviser on defence-relatedscience and technology. To achieve greater scientific integration it is consolidating its activities onto three core sites with theheadquarters being located at Porton Down. The move will bring a further 900 staff to the Porton site from elsewhere in Dstl swelling the total to approximately 2,000. The expansion isdue to be completed by 2008.

Dstl chief executive Martin Earwicker explains: “It is a big steptowards Dstl’s vision of creating a cohesive centre of scientificexcellence.”

Research undertaken at Dstl Porton Down has led to world-leadingvaccines and the best protection for the UK armed forces when onthe battlefield. Military research often has wider applications,however, and a number of successful spin-out companies are alreadyexploiting scientific developments that were first employed to warnor protect service personnel on the battlefield.

As Dstl Porton Down expands further, the potential for creating more joint venture companies for exploiting military science incivilian applications is expected to increase.

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ILE Acolyte Biomedica develops rapid diagnostic tests for hospital-acquired and other serious bacterial infections.The company, a Tetricus tenant, benefits from a closecollaboration with the inventors of detection technology,licensed from Dstl Porton Down.

Dstl spin-out companies

Dstl has a long history of ground-breaking research which hasresulted in more than 100 patents. As the wider application of thescience is realised a number of joint venture companies have been set up which are already impacting in the fields of healthcare, foodtesting and veterinary work.

In 2004, Enigma Diagnostics Limited was launched. Its uniqueapplication of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) technology providesfast detection of a biological warfare attack. Now it’s proving asuccess in diagnosing, within minutes rather than days, infections,veterinary disease and GM or contamination in food.

P2i was also launched in 2004. First researched to protect soldiers’suits against chemical and biological warfare agents, thisrevolutionary nanometre-thick coating, is now radically changing the performance and protection of everyday consumer products.Sportswear, clothing, mobile phones and medical devices can becoated in this invisible layer, three times more repellent than Teflon, to repel liquids and stains.

These joint ventures are situated in the Tetricus bio-incubator units at Dstl Porton Down alongside other fledgling bioscience companiesthat enjoy access to its world class facilities and specialist support.

Dstl’s Technical Director, Dr Frances Saunders said: “We are veryproud of our track record in developing highly innovative newbusinesses. They offer a great opportunity for the country and the local community to further benefit from the investment indefence research.”

GW Pharmaceuticals founded in 1998 has itshead office on the Tetricus Science Park and islicensed by the UK Home Office to work witha range of controlled drugs, includingcannabis. GW employs some 100 people. P

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Environmental testat MoD BoscombeDown, undertakenby QinetiQ.

QinetiQ

QinetiQ at MoD Boscombe Down has an international reputation foracceptance testing and evaluation of aircraft and associated weapons systems.

A unique partnership between Government and industry, QinetiQ isthe largest science and technology organisation in Europe. In 2003,QinetiQ was awarded the Long Term Partnering Agreement for theprovision of strategic test and evaluation capabilities to the UK MoD.

QinetiQ is supported by some of the industry’s most highly skilledengineers and scientists coupled with a vast array of sophisticatedtest facilities. Its test and evaluation service for the defence sector isbased at the military airfield at Boscombe Down, just next door toSolstice Park and 15 minutes from the centre of Salisbury.

QinetiQ has built its reputation on the work done principally in the military defence sector but it also has an established capability in the commercial sector. This includes the testing and disposal ofautomotive airbags; testing of communications ground stations; and the environmental testing of railway rolling stock.

Mathshop, based at Tetricus, blends engineering, maths, softwareskills and experience to develop advanced technical solutions for avariety of leading government research and industry clients.

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“Knowledge transfer and business incubation are the drivers forthis hi-tech focused district. Salisbury has world-class research anddevelopment facilities at Boscombe Down (Advanced engineering)and Porton Down (Biotechnology). The economic importance ofdeveloping these sectors is recognised regionally by the South Westof England Regional Development Agency …”

Philip Watkins, South West Regional Development Agency

Supportive business environment

There is an extremely supportive business environment, with all localagencies being actively behind the development of the area’s hi-techbusinesses.

South Wiltshire Economic Partnership

The South Wiltshire Economic Partnership (SWEP) is a strategicpartnership of private businesses and Salisbury District Council that works to support and develop Salisbury and South Wiltshire’seconomy. SWEP’s vision for Salisbury and South Wiltshire includes aworld class Salisbury Research Triangle. SWEP works with the SouthWest Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) through the Wiltshireand Swindon Economic Partnership (WSEP). WSEP has identified theSalisbury Research Triangle and advanced technologies as prioritieswithin its economic strategy.

SWEP operates a website where all commercial property currentlyavailable can be searched for: www.salisburybusinessspace.com

tel: 01722 434677email: swep@salisbury.gov.ukweb: www.southwiltshire.com

Salisbury District Council

The Economic Development team at Salisbury District Council carries out a programme of work, including SWEP initiatives, toensure the long-term economic success of the area and to supportthose businesses already established. The adopted Local Planincorporates policies that support the development of the SalisburyResearch Triangle, and recognises the co-locational benefits of thespecialist facilities and expertise available in the area to thebiotechnology, healthcare and pharmaceuticals industries.

tel: 01722 434677email: medtmail@salisbury.gov.ukweb: www.salisbury.gov.uk

BioApproaches

Biotechnology businesses are supported by BioApproaches South West, a dedicated business and professional developmentgroup for the biotechnology sector in the South West. Visit www.bioapproaches.co.uk

Tetricus – “where commerce embraces bioscience”

Tetricus, a bio-incubation unit located on the Porton Down SciencePark near Salisbury, provides a unique environment for innovationand development for small biotechnology companies. Tenantcompanies enjoy the prestige and full on-site security of being basedin this special location. Appropriate facilities, specialist mentoringand help with business development are all provided.

Companies already based at Tetricus include venture capital backedstart-ups specialising in the biotechnology, pharmaceuticals,chemicals and materials industries.

Further information is available atwww.tetricus.co.uk

Solstice Park

Solstice Park, situated less than a mile from Boscombe Down and just six miles (15 minutes drive time) from Porton Down, is ideallysituated to support the Salisbury Research Triangle.

Strategically located with direct access to the A303 trunk road.Solstice Park is a new 65 ha (160 acre), high-quality, mixed useBusiness Park in Central Southern England

Whether a small enterprise or a major user, superior office space,laboratories and manufacturing space can all be provided freehold or leasehold and built to clients’ individual requirements.

Solstice Park will include a hotel, Brewers Fayre, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hutrestaurants in addition to a Somerfieldconvenience store and service station for the benefit of those working at this newbusiness park.Visit: www.solsticepark.com

“80% of businesses that start in incubators are still inbusiness after five years compared with only 33%which do not have such support”

DTI White Paper on Enterprise, Skills & Innovation 2001

The futurePlans are in hand for a new build bio-science centre at the PortonDown site which will further enhance the development opportunitiesfor start-up businesses. The centre will also provide the opportunityfor established businesses to relocate to this most prestigious oflocations.

…and finallyHi-tech companies locating their business in the Salisbury ResearchTriangle will benefit from significant business advantages that can beachieved by sharing resources, skills and facilities with like-mindedorganisations and individuals.

If you would like to find out more about how to be a part of this hubof innovation and development, then call Salisbury District Council’sEconomic Development Team on 01722 434677.

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South Wiltshire and Salisbury Research Triangle

South Wiltshire is an excellent location for business: accessible fromLondon via the M3 and served by a major rail line. Salisbury ResearchTriangle is just 15 minutes north of Salisbury.

Dstl has a “…vision of creating a cohesive centre ofscientific excellence.”

Martin Earwicker, Chief Executive of Dstl

Acknowledgements: Our thanks go to all those who have contributed to this publication, and in particular to: BioApproaches South West, Dstl,HPA, QinetiQ, Solstice Park, Tetricus. Inside front cover photograph bottom left: Coombe Bissett Down, Steve Day, Wiltshire Slide Library.

Front cover photographs, clockwise: ML Electronics, The Chord Company, Dstl, © HPA, BioApproaches South West, © HPA

Designed by NJ Design email: njdesign@btconnect.com

Salisbury District CouncilMarketing, Economic Development and Tourism3 Rollestone Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP1 1DX

direct line: 01722 434677fax: 01722 434440

email: email@salisbury.gov.ukweb: www.salisbury.gov.uk www.visitsalisbury.com

www.southwiltshire.com

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