The Teesside-based Centre for Process Innovation has celebrated its tenth anniversary with a special event at the Houses of Parliament.
Business Secretary Vince Cable was among the attendees at the special Westminster gathering which marked a decade since CPI was established.
Mr Cable heard about the national success and positive impact of CPI, which became a founding member of the UK’s first elite technology innovation centre, The High Value Manufacturing Catapult, in 2011.
Since 2004 CPI has grown from a company of one to a world-leading organisation with 227 scientists, engineers and support staff.
It has grown exponentially to its current turnover of more than £15m and has delivered more than 350 public and private projects, with a total value in excess of £300m.
CEO Nigel Perry said: “I am deeply proud of what CPI has achieved in the first 10 years.
“CPI is a centre that brings together the very best people and assets to deliver world class capability for industry right across the UK.
“We were delighted to have the opportunity to celebrate this milestone at the Palace of Westminster and to thank our customers and stakeholders for their trust, faith and on-going support. Their time, energy and commitment are hugely valued by the CPI team.”
The company, which has bases at Wilton and Sedgefield’s NETPark, was originally set up as part of a Government initiative to create five Centres of Excellence to consolidate, build on and exploit the North-east’s knowledge in the process industries, digital technology, digital media, nanotechnology, photonics, renewables and life sciences.
These centres were established to ensure that the region’s economy remained competitive in the growing global market place.
In 2011, CPI reached a major milestone when it became a founding member of the UK’s first elite technology innovation centre, The High Value Manufacturing Catapult; an initiative designed to catalyse the future growth and success of UK manufacturing.
The reception was also attended by dignitaries including professor John Perkins, chief scientific advisor to BIS and Iain Gray, chief executive of the Technology Strategy Board. Bob Gilbert, chairman of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, was also at the event along with Sir John Parker, president of the Royal Academy of Engineering, and Judith Hackett, chair of the Health and Safety Executive.
The event was hosted by Redcar MP Ian Swales.
Mr Swales said: “It was a real privilege to host the CPI 10th birthday celebration in Parliament. I have followed their progress closely from day one and they have achieved outstanding success.”
CPI predicts that, by the end of the year, it will have invested more than £90m in open access facilities for companies of all sizes to utilise in the development, proof of concept and commercialisation of new products and processes.
It has established national centres for industrial biotechnology and printable electronics with a new £38m National Biologics Centre under construction.
It has also had interactions with more than 2,000 companies, from big pharma and multinational manufacturing organisations to entrepreneurial start-ups and SMEs, alongside universities and Government agencies.
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