Growing firm to build second base in Ashington

Michael Black, director of economic growth and investments at Advance Northumberland, Cllr Jeff Watson and Rob Cox, European operations manager at Contec Cleanroom (UK) Ltd.

The firm makes and distributes contamination control products for use in manufacturing clean rooms and healthcare environments and is expanding its business across the UK and Europe.

It currently occupies a 22,000 sq ft unit at Wansbeck Business Park, where it first started the Ashington facility production with seven staff in 2015.

Its Ashington facility focuses on the manufacture of sterile and non-sterile biocides which are mainly used in the life science and pharmaceutical industry, and approximately 80% of the goods made in Ashington are exported to a distribution centre in France for global sale.

The team at Advance Northumberland, with support from the Department of International Trade under its Northern Powerhouse Key Account Management programme, have worked closely with Contec to facilitate their business growth and expansion plans within Northumberland.

Contec UK’s new premises will be a 60,000 sq ft advanced manufacturing and office facility at Ashwood Business Park, offering practical layouts, larger floorplans, storage and parking.

Work on the new facility has already begun, and the construction expected to take 12-18 months. It is also expected to create new jobs.

Contec’s president, Avi Lawrence, said: “We are excited about our expansion in Ashwood Business Park and appreciate the support from Advance Northumberland, both on our existing facilities at Wansbeck and our expansion at Ashwood. We are also pleased with the possibility of creating jobs in the area and look forward to the opening of our new facility.”

Contec Inc is a privately owned American company founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It has just under 1,000 employees and manufacturing facilities in Spartanburg, Ashington and Suzhou, China, and distribution centres in Spartanburg, Ohio, USA and Vannes, France.

Jeff Watson, chairman of Advance Northumberland, said: “We’re delighted that Contec has committed to building new amenities at Ashwood Business Park – and it’s fantastic to be welcoming a company of their calibre and sector to the site.”

"Ashwood Business Park is a place where businesses can develop and expand, and we have seen from the success of AkzoNobel and Bernicia Homes how companies can thrive at this prime location.”