Scotland's $13 billion chemicals sector to showcase new initiatives at Informex

Scotland's $13 billion chemicals sector will showcase innovative new initiatives at Informex this week, highlighting the country's research and manufacturing expertise, and offering integrated, world-class solutions to the global chemicals industry.

At Informex 2010, Scotland will feature:

• ScotCHEM, an unprecedented partnership between seven leading universities, the private sector and the Scottish Government designed to allow a substantial expansion of world leading research activities in Scotland; and
• A new industry-led Centre of Excellence for Continuous Manufacturing and Crystallization that will serve as a new facility set to completely revolutionize the way drugs are made by pushing the manufacture of high-value pharmaceuticals and medicines beyond existing boundaries.

"Scotland's chemicals sector continues to grow and thrive because industry, academia and government merge together to expand research and development capabilities through enhanced public-private collaboration," said Carol Beattie, Senior Manager at Scottish Development International. "With a national focus on excellence and innovation, the structure of our chemicals industry is truly unique and our research and manufacturing capabilities are among the finest in the world."

This year at the leading fine chemical tradeshow in the United States, the Scotland Stand (#840) will showcase 12 companies, including Nitech Solutions, two major industry collaborations, ScotCHEM and Chemical Sciences Scotland, and Scottish Development International, Scotland's Trade and Investment economic agency.  Together, these organizations represent Scotland's commitment to maintaining its position as an attractive location for investment, with world-class research standards, access to skilled labor, and competitive cost structures.

The country's newest chemicals collaboration, ScotCHEM, pools the resources of Scottish universities' seven leading chemistry departments, Strathclyde, Glasgow, Heriot-Watt, Dundee, Aberdeen, St Andrews and University of Edinburgh, to allow a substantial expansion of world leading research activities. ScotCHEM is currently working with Scottish Development International to examine where Scotland's R&D capabilities in biological, materials, pharmaceutical, synthetic organic and catalytic chemistry can link up effectively with the international chemicals community.

"Scotland's new R&D proposition will ensure that any needs of the wider international chemicals community that can be met by the skills and knowledge base existing within Scotland, are appropriately met within our infrastructure and academic community," said Professor Chris Gilmore, Senior Representative of ScotCHEM. "By presenting Scotland's R&D capabilities to the international community, we aim to connect international chemicals companies with our academic facilities and give them a sense of what it would mean for their businesses to establish facilities in Scotland and employ staff trained in our academic institutions."  

Professor Chris Gilmore will formally launch Scotland's R&D Proposition in his presentation titled "Connecting Academic R&D with industry, a new Scottish proposition," today at 2:00 pm in Room 305 at the Moscone Center.

Another new collaborative initiative in Scotland's chemicals sector is the development of a Centre of Excellence for Continuous Manufacturing and Crystallization to advance the field of manufacturing high-value pharmaceuticals and medicines.  A key player in the joint venture between Scottish universities, Scottish Enterprise and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, William McFarlane from Nitech Solutions will speak about the new Centre today at 10:40 am in Room 305 at the Moscone Center.