A BIOPHARMACEUTICAL operator has expanded into a business hub as it seeks to meet customers’ increasing demands.

Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies has taken 15,000sq ft of space at the Wilton Centre, near Redcar.

The move comes just days after Fujifilm revealed £7m plans to extend development work at a site close to its existing base in Billingham, near Stockton.

Bosses at the company, which helps operators bring therapies to market, say their ten-year Wilton Centre lease will drive fresh growth, with the location offering necessary laboratory and research space.

Paul Found, chief operating officer at Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies’ Billingham site, said clients’ ever-evolving requirements were providing rich ground to expand.

He said: “We are committed to growing our contract development and manufacturing business rapidly to fulfil the global demand for biopharmaceuticals.

“Our expansion into Wilton has allowed us to increase our development capabilities.

“Wilton offers access to highquality laboratory space with great supporting infrastructure, which are critical to effectively meet our customers’ needs.”

Fujifilm’s arrival comes after civil and highways design consultancy Lynas Engineers moved to the Wilton Centre and The Faraday Training Group, an electrical safety provider, revealed it had taken out a ten-year lease for a new education operation.

Steve Duffield, the business hub’s site director, said Fujifilm was a perfect example of the kind of company that officials want to attract to the base.

He said: “This is great news for Fujifilm, the Wilton Centre and the whole of Teesside, with the expansion of a world-leading company in the region.

“Fujifilm is exactly the sort of occupier we want to attract to the Wilton Centre, to make use of our combination of office, laboratory and process development space.

“The centre’s owners are especially keen to see leading scientific research and development businesses here.”

Middlesbrough-based letting agents Dodds Brown acted for the Wilton Centre in the deal, with Fujifilm, which has strong roots in Billingham, having been part of ICI from the mid-1970s, unrepresented.

Stephen Brown, Dodds Brown senior partner, added: “It was important for Fujifilm to find room to expand, but to remain in the Teesside area.”

The Wilton Centre is home to a number of companies across the science and process industry sectors.

Petrochemicals company Sabic, which recently converted its iconic Cracker plant to use ethane gas, has offices at the business site.

Applied Graphene Materials, which is building up its industry repute through work on graphene, acclaimed by experts for being ultra-lightweight yet overtly tough and capable of conducting electricity, is also based at the Wilton Centre.