CPI Opens National Formulation Centre at NETPark
15 Mar 2018
CPI has opened its new National Formulation Centre.
The site, based on NETPark, in Sedgefield, County Durham, will guide companies through the steps needed to take their next-generation formulated products to market with reduced risk on their decisions or capital investment plans.
Formulation involves the creation of multi-component, often multi-phase products, which are abundant across markets such as healthcare, food and drink and personal care.
For companies developing formulated products, challenges such as up-scaling, advancing technical knowledge and optimising downstream processing can be difficult to overcome and slow down the innovation process.
However, CPI, part of the UK’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult, will use its new NETPark centre to create an environment for innovation that will allow businesses and academic partners to collaborate, develop, prove and commercialise innovative products and processes in formulation science, while being more efficient in the use of resources to generate further value for the UK formulation industry.
![CPI chief executive Nigel Perry delivers a speech at the NETPark centre launch CPI chief executive Nigel Perry delivers a speech at the NETPark centre launch](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-00.jpg?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221855&s=915c385f7a43efb43a262e6bc730d4ca 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-00.jpg?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221855&s=2246827febbe864d5684707d13eb62b5 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-00.jpg?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221855&s=ccfabb6ae759d42a1b810be7b40d4b51 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-00.jpg?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221855&s=0bcb9b5a66e67fe026a43a0d9ec196d7 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-00.jpg?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221855&s=ee030fb026c2b4da1c4c809bcbcf7b0e 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-00.jpg?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221855&s=cb3052999c616fc80e4e149cb1591c0e 960w)
![A panel discussion takes place on how CPI addresses the need for support in formulation A panel discussion takes place on how CPI addresses the need for support in formulation](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-04.jpg?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221810&s=eaca47e947855a3befa6f4dd51a65962 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-04.jpg?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221810&s=e40c3e41eea3e8c78b51e99a771547fd 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-04.jpg?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221810&s=dd90beabdd312157e06d2f8b326eeb7c 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-04.jpg?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221810&s=03db857de6079411445fdde9d8f2ab58 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-04.jpg?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221810&s=854727144c17231c07d7161806c9ecc5 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-04.jpg?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221810&s=449439f1937d280fa597873efe1cca03 960w)
The centre is home to world-class laboratories and accompanying expertise focusing on measurement, high-throughput formulation, process chemistry, process technology, complex particles, nanomaterials, composites, and chemistry and dispersions.
It is funded by the North-East Local Enterprise Partnership, as part of the North-East Growth Deal from the UK Government and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
The National Formulation Centre was first announced by then Chancellor George Osborne in 2014, with ground broken in November 2016.
It was officially opened in March 2018 at a launch event featuring leading industrial specialists in the field of formulation science.
In attendance were representatives from global companies including Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Procter & Gamble (P&G), Unilever, Croda, BASF and BP, alongside many other formulations-based organisations.
Emma McLeod, research principal at Mondelez International, said: “The food and drink sector is the largest remaining manufacturing sector in the UK — it is bigger than the aerospace and automotive industries combined, and contributes over £28.8bn a year to the UK economy. As 97 per cent of companies in the sector are SMEs, the biggest challenge is getting the scale of formulations we need. CPI’s National Formulation Centre is integral to enabling the cross-sector collaboration and access to facilities required help get future food and drink formulations to scale.”
![Graeme Cruickshank, director of formulation at CPI, defines formulation during the launch event Graeme Cruickshank, director of formulation at CPI, defines formulation during the launch event](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-01.jpg?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221843&s=19130449f014329cc795e49cc26378e6 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-01.jpg?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221843&s=23d3b2cec1e6ca4780067879821d9f37 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-01.jpg?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221843&s=94ea81fabaaa8294a63f5cfee56d8a56 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-01.jpg?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221843&s=5726f7baab07f89114eae95a3a7731e8 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-01.jpg?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221843&s=beb03ebfe3257597cd86372b77807a61 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-01.jpg?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221843&s=91d87ea72d09530e048172c3b48434be 960w)
Rebecca Yates, formulated products research manager for fuels and lubricants at BP, said: “The potential to participate in a cross-industry solutions for formulated products through CPI enables transformation in finding future practical solutions and ways of working. Bringing together the formulation industry and the applications of formulation products will increase the profile of the industry as a whole. It is exciting that CPI enables collaborations across sectors to drive delivery of projects which result in transferable formulation solutions.”
Nigel Perry, CPI chief executive, added: “This new national innovation centre builds on CPI’s substantial capabilities which support the UK’s processes industries and will play an important role in anchoring R&D for formulation and stimulating manufacturing-based growth. It will provide companies and academia with leading technical expertise combined with open access facilities for the development and optimise their formulated products across a wide range of applications.”
![Formulation laboratory tours Formulation laboratory tours](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-02.jpg?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221822&s=f34dc153a6372052e856863263ac1139 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-02.jpg?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221822&s=9defde6c1fbb6528aab93e3aa8656196 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-02.jpg?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221822&s=b6f9b24335b24c79e8708ef7e9a01956 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-02.jpg?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221822&s=41d39d244cc8313b84ef257832d5b24a 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-02.jpg?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221822&s=c1ae1a1b49f07a6c7534d99c08ac1865 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-02.jpg?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221822&s=15d1ef23e6255dee54908710e768dcd6 960w)
![Formulation laboratory tours Formulation laboratory tours](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-03.jpg?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221818&s=b3936f0e40dea9bceff79406997433e9 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-03.jpg?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221818&s=88a543ce61c51754bcdcf22ea665a91c 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-03.jpg?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221818&s=82b179f621c1bee9afc13a2cc17144f0 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-03.jpg?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221818&s=731c7acf97ef6753bc651c17bdb70801 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-03.jpg?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221818&s=93568d97871ed49b2b6fe4e639443fc8 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/form-03.jpg?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221818&s=d385861ed627c12cf239bd2e202003df 960w)
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Notes to the Editor
About CPI
The Centre for Process Innovation is a UK-based technology innovation centre and part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult. The company uses applied knowledge in science and engineering combined with state of the art development facilities to enable its clients to develop, prove, prototype and scale up the next generation of products and processes. Established to support the UK process manufacturing industry, CPI collaborates with universities, SMEs and large corporations to help overcome innovation challenges. Operating across a broad range of technologies, partners are supported at every stage; from concept to market; business support to technology development; and from scale up to supply chain intervention. CPI consists of dedicated national innovation centres that support industrial biotechnology and biorefining, printable electronics, biologics and formulation. The centres enable advancements in major markets such as healthcare, electronics, food and drink, aerospace, automotive, materials, and energy. These world leading, digitally enabled and open access facilities are available for partners to get their products and processes to market quickly with minimal risk. Utilising strong networks, CPI brings together a range of partners in the delivery of innovation projects, with a common goal of strengthening the UK’s position in High Value Manufacturing.
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