SCIENION joins Portsmouth’s Lakeside North Harbour

By Sam Pither

3 August 2022

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Life science and diagnostic equipment manufactures SCIENION has leased 10,600 square feet of space at Portsmouth’s Lakeside North Harbour.

Technology made by SCIENION is used in millions of diagnostic devices each year. Their equipment played an important role in the response to the coronavirus pandemic and was used to manufacture PCR and antibody tests.

The company has also agreed to collaborate with Southampton-based Highfield Diagnostics Ltd to contribute their new lateral flow test design technology to help scale up the manufacturing of LFTs.

(L-R) Jacob Bailie, Contract Manufacturing Lead, SCIENION; Penny Mordaunt, Member of Parliament for Portsmouth North; Councillor Canon Dr Hugh Mason, The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth; Miss Marie Costa, Lady Mayoress of Portsmouth; Melanie Airey, Finance Manager, SCIENION; Simon Bateman, Asset Manager, Lakeside North Harbour

Simon Bateman, asset manager at Lakeside North Harbour, said: “SCIENION’s technology has immense potential to save lives. We are proud to be supporting the company in delivering top-class facilities, assisting them in their innovative and important work.

“At Lakeside, our mission is to shape the future of work. We’re pleased to be able to offer a unique environment with immediate access to acres of blue and green space that supports employee health and wellbeing and aids recruitment.

“SCIENION’s values align with our own to improve lives and benefit health and wellbeing and we are incredibly excited to welcome SCIENION to our vibrant business community.”

SCIENION will relocate from their existing factory in Chichester, joining a number of high-profile companies already at Lakeside including IBM, Virgin Media and Capita.

The move follows a recent governmental pledge of £60 million to expand the UK’s life sciences manufacturing sector, building on the country’s contribution to the global Covid-19 vaccine rollout.

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Andrew Sweet, managing director at SCIENION, said: “At SCIENION we are in the business of enabling, inspiring and educating scientists to develop their research ideas into fully manufactured product. This is an incredibly exciting time for our business. We are confident that SCIENION will continue to grow rapidly and that our new facility at Lakeside will support us in achieving this.”

The company also expects its new location to advance science education and collaboration in the UK, with plans to run workshops, conferences and exhibitions.

Andrew added: “We have been conducting workshops for many years. Lakeside’s range of modern facilities, including an auditorium that can seat 250 people, enable us to combine lectures and hands-on sessions with targeted workflows in our laboratories for scientists.

“Sustainability is also a key focus for us and Lakeside’s green credentials, including electric vehicle charging points and renewable energy initiatives, were a major factor in our decision.”

By Sam Pither

Sam is the Regional Editor of Biz News, responsible for both Hampshire and Dorset.

A new recruit to journalism, Sam started writing for the Business Magazine as a freelancer in May of 2022 after completing his degree in English at University College London. His passion for local businesses and ability to tell a story soon caught the attention of the publication’s management team and have led to his meteoric rise.

Sam, who lives in central Reading, takes a particular interest in technology, gaming and food and drink, having been a chef before starting his degree.