Paul Smith Associates
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New resident at The Heath

A world leading scientific company that has developed two COVID-19 antibodies tests has become the latest organisation to make use of the laboratory space at The Heath Business and Technical Park in Runcorn.

Ortho Clinical Diagnostics is a global leader within in vitro diagnostics, providing sophisticated testing technologies and reagents to clinical and transfusion laboratories around the world.

Ortho moved into laboratories at The Heath during the Coronavirus pandemic. The company’s scientists have developed crucial COVID-19 antibody tests that can help identification of currently infected or previously exposed individuals who may have developed immunity. Ortho’s technology is helping health care professionals, researchers and Governments to better manage COVID-19 and to prevent it impacting more people.

Lesley Banks, Sales and Marketing Manager for SOG Ltd, the owner and operator of The Heath, says: “We are delighted to welcome such a prestigious global organisation as Ortho to The Heath. Ortho Clinical Diagnostics are one of a number of science-related businesses located here who are conducting vital work and research to combat COVID-19.”

Keith Miller, Orthocare UK Supervisor for Ortho, says: “Ortho needed a ready-made laboratory with excellent transport links for the UK, to support our Vitros platforms to run the Covid-19 Antibody tests. The Heath was perfect from day one, the team of professionals at The Heath made Ortho very welcome and nothing was too much trouble.”

Several other new companies are poised to move into office and lab space at The Heath over the coming weeks.

Recently Virgin Care, part of the Virgin Group, doubled the size of its office space on the park where it now has more than 100 workstations across two dedicated floors of newly refurbished offices on the Park. Virgin Care is using the additional space to consolidate its back-office teams to a single site. The organisation partners with the NHS and local authorities to transform and deliver a range of care services for a million people each year including children and adults and has also been playing a key role during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Banks says: “The Heath is an established and secure business park, centrally located with good transport links, ample free car parking and has office and lab space available for immediate occupation. Space can be taken ‘as is’ or alternatively businesses can adapt existing space to meet their bespoke business requirements, and SOG’s experienced project team will work with companies from concept design through to completion.

“For science-based companies, specialist scientific support services are available onsite, so it is easy to get support quickly as we have a team of highly experienced engineers on hand. We also have superb logistical back-up too.”

Lab availability currently includes lab units with fully vented fume cupboards which can be swiftly adapted to meet the requirements of virtually any sector of industry. The Heath also has a wide range of office space availability from small starter offices suitable for 1-2 people, through to larger open-plan spaces for 20-30 people plus. All space is available on flexible terms at competitive rates.

Banks adds: “We also have a rare opportunity to offer an entire single floor of self-contained space in one of our newest buildings, Progressive House, which is a high-grade building with adjacent car parking. There’s 3,606 sq.ft of office space with meeting rooms and kitchen. Progressive House overlooks Heath Park and Runcorn Hills which is part of Higher Runcorn Conservation Area.”

About The Heath
The Heath Business and Technical Park is a phenomenal regeneration success story. Formed in 2000, its owner and operator, SOG Ltd, has transformed a once single occupancy corporate facility into a thriving independent business park. The Heath now provides office and laboratory accommodation for more than 120 individual organisations, ranging from business services and IT specialists to those at the cutting edge of science, research and advanced manufacturing. Around 2,000 people are employed at the site. For further information, telephone 01928 515988 or visit www.theheath.com

For more information, please see:
www.theheath.com

PAUL SMITH ASSOCIATES
3rd August 2020