In a survey of 84 companies based at the leading science and technology campus, it was revealed that they delivered more than £95 million in sales in 2016, with annual sales growth of 24 per cent with an average sales growth over the past four years of 30 per cent.
Sci-Tech Daresbury is currently home to 114 companies including IBM, HCD Economics, Flexera Software, X-Cellr8 and Global Lifecycle Solutions EMEA, with 34 new companies locating to the site in 2016.
The survey also revealed that a total of 22 companies on the campus now have sales of more than £1 million per year, with five of these having sales greater than £5 million per year. For 61 per cent of those trading outside the UK, Europe remains as a key export market, accounting for 41 per cent of total sales and with sales to North America growing strongly, from 16 per cent to 21 per cent.
Additionally more than £17m in investment was raised in 2016, up from £15m in 2015, from a range of sources including venture capital funds, grant funding bodies, business angels and private investors.
Sci-Tech Daresbury is also continually attracting and retaining the best scientific talent and last year the average size of companies based there increased from 6.7 to 7.3 employees. This resulted in 76 more full time jobs becoming available at the campus in 2016. Companies at the campus currently employ around 680 people, 85 per cent of which are full time roles.
John Downes, group managing director of Langtree and chairman of the Sci-Tech Daresbury joint venture company, said: “Many companies are maturing in business and their work of recent years is beginning to pay dividends as they take their products to market resulting in excellent sales.
“The campus offers many financial and collaborative benefits for tenants and we’re pleased that this has been reflected in the growth of the site and the growth of the companies based here.
“We are confident that the excellent results reported in the latest survey will be further boosted in the coming year.
“At the same time Sci-Tech Daresbury continues to cement its position as a world-class hub for innovation with the versatile laboratory facilities and first-class office space, attracting interest from a diverse range of sectors like biomedical, engineering, material science, instrumentation and clean technology.”
In the last year two new buildings have been opened on the campus, the 33,000 sq ft Techspace One, which is already attracting interest from international and regional companies and the 10,000 sq ft Techspace Two, which has already welcomed Conveyor Networks as a tenant. Both buildings will see the eventual creation of another 350 jobs at the campus.
Mr Downes added: “The survey told us that many companies choose Sci-Tech Daresbury because of our reputation, the quality of facilities, the location, connectivity and accessibility all of which they see as offering them opportunities to grow.
“We have also recently been named as the leading science and technology campus in the country by the UK Science Park Association for “setting the pace” in innovation and for supporting the growth of knowledge-based firms. We anticipate that this recognition will bring further positive impact in the year ahead.”
