A new £10 million “Polymer Innovation Centre” has been opened by polymer solutions provider Victrex.
Victrex New Polymer Innovation Center. Credit Victrex
The centre was opened in Thronton and is expected to create 60 new jobs in the region over the next 10 years. It was developed after a three-year planning and construction phase and had £1.3 million in funding provided by the UK’s Regional Growth Fund.
Victrex intends that the centre expands its capabilities in helping customers develop the latest advancements when using the company’s PAEK (polyaryletherketones) products. PAEK materials are used by a variety of industries to increase efficiencies by replacing traditional metals.
The centre will assist the rapid prototyping of new parts and components made with PAEK materials. The company hopes that the manufacture of new PAEK materials will help the research and testing of high-performance polymer grades.
Victrex CEO, Jakob Sigurdsson, said: "We continue to expand our PAEK-based portfolio, services and technologies into new markets and new applications. As an innovative world leader and pioneer in high-performance polymers, investments in science and manufacturing capability are key to continuous innovation and to improve innovation cycles and time-to- market. This new facility is another important step for us, particularly as we anticipate around 10-20% of our overall sales will come from new differentiated PAEK polymer grades and our mega-programmes in the medium term. It will further enhance our capacity for R&D, where we will continue to work in close and continuous cooperation with our customers and partners in driving new and differentiated polymer solutions.”