A Northumberland manufacturer is set to create new jobs as part of a project to build a new facility.
Contamination control firm Contec Cleanroom (海角视频) Ltd is expanding its regional operations with the creation of the new purpose-built facility on Ashwood Business Park in Ashington.
The firm produces and distributes contamination control products which are used in manufacturing clean rooms and healthcare environments. It currently has a 22,000 sqft unit at Wansbeck Business Park, which was first launched with seven staff in 2015.
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The Ashington base focuses on the manufacture of sterile and non-sterile biocides that are mainly used in the life science and pharmaceutical industry, and around 80% of the goods made there are exported to a distribution centre in France for global sale.
Now the company is set to treble in size, with its new premises covering 60,000 sqft of advanced manufacturing and office space.
Work on the new facility has already begun and the construction is expected to take 12 to 18 months. The company expects that the new facility will create new job opportunities and increase its headcount.
The team at Advance Northumberland, with support from the Department of International Trade under its Northern Powerhouse Key Account Management programme, has worked closely with Contec to put growth and expansion plans within Northumberland into action.
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Contec 海角视频’s new president, Avi Lawrence, said: “We are excited about our expansion in Ashwood Business Park and appreciate the support from Advance Northumberland both on our existing facilities at Wansbeck and our expansion at Ashwood.
“We are also pleased with the possibility of creating jobs in the area and look forward to the opening of our new facility.”
The Ashington business forms part of Contec Inc, a privately owned US company founded in 1988 with its headquarters in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It has just under 1,000 employees and facilities in Spartanburg, Ashington and Suzhou, China, as well as distribution centres in Spartanburg and Ohio, US, and Vannes, France.
Jeff Watson, chair of Advance Northumberland said, “We’re delighted that Contec has committed to building new amenities at Ashwood Business Park – and it’s fantastic to be welcoming a company of their calibre and sector to the site.
“Ashwood Business Park is a place where businesses can develop and expand, and we have seen from the success of AkzoNobel and Bernicia Homes how companies can thrive at this prime location.”
Ashwood Business Park is also set to benefit from the £4m investment from international forecourt operator Euro Garages. The company will complete the build on its 8,000 sq ft development on the site in October, which will include a petrol filling station, convenience store, and drive-through Starbucks outlet.
Infrastructure works started this month, and a new access road will be created off the Ashwood Drive roundabout, with the petrol station and shop located on the northern section of the site with the coffee shop towards the southern boundary.
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Last year, Advance Northumberland and Northumberland County Council secured. £2.7m from the North East LEP for infrastructure improvements to encourage further inward investment and growth projects at the site.
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