NETPark on track for ‘materials powerhouse’ vision

INNOVATION leaders came together for an International summit to help realise a North East science park’s ambition to become a ‘materials powerhouse’.

The summit, which attracted some of the biggest names in materials integration – where ground-breaking technology is integrated into everyday products – was held at the North East Technology Park, (NETPark) near Sedgefield, County Durham.

The round-table event formed part of the 10-year strategy for NETPark – run by Business Durham, the economic development company for County Durham – to become a global hub for materials integration, creating 3,000 jobs and adding another ￡400m to the region’s GVA in the process.

Delegates came from America and across the UK and included advisers to the Government as well as leading science and innovation organisations.

Simon Goon, managing director at Business Durham, summed up the day’s events with leaders at a reception at Lumley Castle, Chester Le Street, last night where he talked about the concept for a ‘materials powerhouse’; the need to engage with ministers about the NETPark story and emphasise the social impact of the work being carried out by high-tech firms based at the science park.

“The North East has new friends tonight. It’s incredibly valuable to have all these people helping to translate our ambition into reality and create thousands of jobs,” he added.

Dr Saralyn Mark, president of SolaMed Solutions and former senior policy advisor to the White House, said: “It was very exciting to see the social impact of these technologies. I found the summit to be very productive and invigorating.”

Naomi Weir, acting director of CASE, the Campaign for Science and Engineering, said: “NETPark has a great story to tell and from a national policy picture, it’s exciting to see how you can talk to Government and say look what investment in science and innovation can do. NETPark is doing a wonderful job.”

Anne Crean, head of science and innovation at the Institute of Physics (IoP), said: “I was particularly impressed by the vision Business Durham has been building. NETPark has already achieved a great deal and it has some great case studies to inspire the next generation of leaders.”

Hans Moller, innovation director with NELEP, said: “NETPark plays a major role in the brand building of the region. It’s a North East asset and we should be proud of science parks and incubators. It’s not just about the jobs on the park, it’s about creating high-tech jobs within the supply chain too. The NETPark vision is absolutely doable.”

Two high profile NETPark-based firms are already thriving in the materials integration field. Kromek, which makes cadmium zinc telluride (CdZT) which has been integrated into products, such as airport scanners, and PolyPhotonix, which has developed a sleep mask to treat diabetic retinopathy.

Part of the 10-year strategy for NETPark will see the opening up of a further 13 hectares of land; 51,000 sq ft of grow on space. The NETPark partnership of Business Durham, CPI and Durham University is crafting a complete ‘scale up’ support model for companies wanting to capitalise on the materials integration market – from the first stage of ideas through to volume manufacturing.

Find out more about NETPark at www.northeasttechnologypark.com