Member Article

Expanding Sci-Tech Daresbury firms buck trend

Businesses at Sci-Tech Daresbury are bucking the economic trend by increasing sales, exports and job creation.

Figures reveal that some 70% of businesses at Sci-Tech Daresbury experienced sales growth and that 70% expect to recruit new employees this year.

The picture of growth at the site, which is one of the Government’s flagship Enterprise Zones, emerges from an annual survey of companies operating there.

Average sales growth for businesses in 2013 was 41% (compared to 23% in 2012) and the average sales growth for Daresbury companies over the past four years is running at 30% per year.

More than half of Sci-Tech Daresbury companies export with export sales comprising 26% of all companies’ sales. This is an increase in sales from £10.1m per year to £13.6m per year.

Europe continues to be the key export market, accounting for nearly 50% of export sales, but there has been a strong increase in exports to North America, Latin America and the Middle East.

In total there are nearly 500 FTE jobs in companies on site, of which 76% are held by people with degree level qualifications or above. Sci-Tech Daresbury companies created a net increase of 105 full-time equivalent jobs in 2013, a similar level to 2012.

A number of companies have also recruited their first apprentices and this area of recruitment is expected to increase in subsequent years.

John Downes, Chief Executive of Langtree and Director of Sci-Tech Daresbury’s joint venture company, said: “Business performance at the campus is extremely encouraging given the economic uncertainty during 2012 and into 2013.

“What is especially pleasing is that companies have been achieving an average sales growth of 30% per year for some four years now, which indicates a sustained and positive medium-term trend and suggests that the campus and its facilities are meeting the requirements of companies operating in the science and technology sector.

“It is also good to see exports increase and there is considerable confidence that there will be continued sales growth, expansion and recruitment.”

David Parr, Chief Executive of Halton Borough Council and Chair of Sci-Tech Daresbury’s joint venture company, said: “Sci-Tech Daresbury is a key driver for economic growth in the region andit’s encouraging to see companies based on the site continuing to experience significant growth, despite the challenging economic climate.

The campus is also playing a significant role in attracting talent to the region, with a notable rise in companies recruiting on site. This recruitment is overwhelmingly in relation to high value jobs, the creation of which is a key strategic objective for the North West and UK economies.“

Sci-Tech Daresbury is a private-public sector joint venture between developers Langtree, the Science and Technology Facilities Council and Halton Borough Council. The Universities of Lancaster, Liverpool and Manchester are all active partners on the site.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .