Microfluidics expert take a suite within Science Village, Chesterford’s flexible, high-quality accommodation for both established and start-up life science companies
November 21, 2016: Chesterford Research Park is delighted to welcome Enplas to the Park. The Cambridge Enplas Life Science Laboratory, part of Enplas EU Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Enplas Corporation have taken a five-year lease within the Park’s Science Village.
Pioneers in engineering plastics since 1962, the Enplas Corporation has an annual turnover of $400M and employs over 4,000 people across seven manufacturing sites and multiple offices worldwide. Having developed and manufactured leading edge components for the automotive, telecommunications and optical (LED) industries, Enplas moved into the life science industry 15 years ago to rise to the challenge of applying microfabrication technologies to the design and manufacture of precision components for the sector. Enplas’ proprietary ultra-precise microfabrication and moulding technologies and unrivalled development capabilities have enabled the organisation to develop and mass produce various life science products, including high-precision, high performance microfluidic chips for biology applications such as sample prep, fluid control, biochemical reaction/cell culture and droplet generation.
By understanding the needs of the market, particularly in the area of cancer diagnostics and screening, the Cambridge Enplas Life Science Laboratory will continue to pursue technological innovation to maximise the potential of plastic to establish new cornerstones for the future development of the life sciences.
Output from the Enplas laboratory at Chesterford is key to the overall Enplas Corporation and it’s work will underpin Enplas businesses in the US, Asia and Europe.
Enplas chose Chesterford as the location for its R&D laboratory to leverage the strong research and development connections abundant in and around Cambridge and throughout the Cambridge, Oxford, London triangle; within which Enplas already have a number of collaborative academic and commercial projects in place.
Dr Ashok Sinha, Business Development Manager commented: “We are uniquely positioned to enable and facilitate large projects, bringing together the microfluidics value chain from the inception of an idea through to clinical trials and eventually on to usage with the end customer. Our objective through the Cambridge Enplas Life Science Laboratory is to actively engage with the life science community to ascertain their requirements, encourage and help facilitate collaborative projects on a joint venture, investment or self funded basis.”
The Cambridge Enplas Life Science Laboratory will be run by Dr Pelin Candarlioglu. Pelin graduated in 2005 with a BSc in biological sciences and bioengineering from Sabanci University in Instanbul before obtaining a master’s degree in biotechnology and bioanalytics at the Vienna University of Technology in Austria. Pelin went on to study for a PhD in bone tissue engineering and regenerative medicine at Imperial College London.
Chesterford Research Park provides the very best flexible and future proofed environment for both established and early stage biotechnology and pharmaceutical R&D companies seeking accommodation. In addition to Enplas leading life science companies including Charles River Laboratories, Axol, Isogenica and Diagnostics for the Real World (DRW) are also based at the Park.
Jim Ballesty, General Manager commented of the move to Chesterford: “We viewed a number of laboratory spaces during our search but Chesterford stood out due to its exceptional combination of plug-and-play laboratory facilities and central amenities within The Nucleus. The nature of our projects will fuel our growth and at Chesterford we have a laboratory set up that will enable that growth without the need to move.
“Existing Park occupiers were also a significant attraction to us. Our model is very much a collaborative one and we hope to build mutually beneficial relationships with fellow life science organisations at the Park as we develop and grow.”
INVEST Essex, Essex County Council’s inward investment team, worked with Enplas on their choice of site and introduced them to Uttlesford District Council who were able to provide support to Enplas with their Business Development Rate Relief Scheme.
Ideally located within the South Cambridgeshire biotech cluster within touching distance of Cambridge, major road network links, Stansted Airport and central London, Chesterford affords occupiers access to a highly skilled Cambridge based workforce and superb central facilities that include a restaurant and café bar, meeting and conferencing space and an air-conditioned health and fitness centre.
