Innovation - Driving recovery and growth in the UK

Innovation is seen as a key driver for a successful UK economy. That's the priority set out in a recent Government report backing the development of Britain's industries.

You only have to look around the Northwest to realise that the region is being steered towards a future where innovation and intellectual property are the key to financial security and creative rewards.

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) is keen to recognise the importance of developing the region's science base to ensure we can compete internationally and is committed to investing in a knowledge economy.
This commitment can clearly be seen in the growth of the science and innovation sector in the Northwest.

The past 20 years has seen an evolution of Science Parks that facilitate the development and management of high growth, knowledge-based organisations, support start-ups and provide incubation for innovation-led businesses. Importantly, they are providing an environment where larger and international businesses can develop interactions as well as operational links with higher education institutes and research organisations.

Ideas into reality

This evolution includes major investments in projects such as Liverpool Science Park (LSP), Daresbury Science and Innovation campus and the National Biomanufacturing Centre(NBC).

LSP offers high-spec, lab-compatible office space for companies in high-tech industries. And Liverpool's £9.9 million innovation centre (the second at LSP) aims to build on the success of the first innovation centre (ic1), which has attracted more than 50 companies since opening in 2006. One beneficiary is Fastems - a leading company in the supply of factory automation. MD Steve Malone commented: "Fastems needs to project a first class image. We have achieved this at the LSP with the fine building itself, the location, the conferencing/meeting facilities and the professionalism of the reception staff when greeting our visitors on our behalf."

Meanwhile, Daresbury SIC is a case study for "Driving Recovery and Growth in the UK economy" a report commissioned by Lord Sainsbury. The Campus has a powerful interactive network that helps drive knowledge between companies and the research base of local Universities. It is rapidly developing its reputation for scientific and entrepreneurial excellence.

Watch the Daresbury SIC video here.

Elsewhere Manchester Science Park (MSP) supports the growth of Digital Media, Biotechnology and ICT; Westlakes Science Park in Cumbria is now an important knowledge centre for the nuclear, healthcare informatics and environmental sciences sectors; and The Heath business and technical park continues to grow.

"This is what the future of the UK economy is about", said former Prime Minister Tony Blair, "investment in science, technology and skills."

And all investments have born plenty of fruits. MSP, for example, is home to IGM Resins, who develop and produce a range of UV-curable resins for inks and coatings, principally for food packaging. Daresbury SIC's facility is used by Airbus and Rolls Royce, with the aerospace sector's keen focus on safety being paramount in the research. Rolls Royce has developed turbine blades with technology from the Daresbury Laboratory. And LSP is happily utilised by support organisation, Chemicals Northwest.

The list goes on. These parks are home to a huge range of tenants representing nano technologies, healthcare, information computer technology (ICT), biotechnology, R & D into the automotive industry, and specialist support services.

The face of modern manufacturing

These fully-purpose business cities are already sighted as the hub of future technology, ideas and advancement: They are, by all intents and purposes, the face of modern manufacturing. Innovation centres are fast becoming the face of the region’s manufacturing.

Energy Innovation Centre in Cheshire is now home to cutting-edge technologies for the global energy market. Mark Atherton, Director of Environment & Energy, Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) said: "Energy and environmental technologies industry needs to remain innovative to remain competitive."

And the National Biomanufacturing Centre is set to become Europe's leading biopharmaceutical design centre. With the capability to develop and manufacture a wide variety of novel biopharmaceutical medicines for early phase clinical trials, the NBC works with biotech companies or academic groups to bring new medicines from the research laboratory into the clinic.

The Northwest's budding society of science and production is umbrellered by UKSPA and championed by The Northwest Innovation Network, an organisation that represents all corporations hosting and supporting innovation in the region.

As the name implies, NWIN's principal objective is networking: with each other, the NWDA, Government office GO-NW, UKSPA and other relevant bodies. Meanwhile, encouraging closer links between businesses and higher and further education institutions can only speed up the transfer of innovation and technology. NWIN also collects statistics on its member parks, in order to track growth.

Whether purpose built parks or research development centres the Northwest now has places and spaces for shared thinking and innovative ideas, delivering services related to innovation, workforce development, productivity, funding aggregation, entrepreneurial support, supply chain and mini-consortia initiatives.

And the NWDA will continue to support major science and knowledge driven projects across the Northwest in the drive to transform the regional economy.
Innovation it seems is key.

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