Tees Business Tees Business Issue 20 | Page 121

The voice of business in the Tees region | 121 / DARLINGTON NEWS Darlington firm Cleveland Bridge was involved in the design, manufacture, fabrication, supply, delivery and erection of Wembley Stadium’s famous arch, as well as the manufacture and erection of both the bowl and roof structural steel. #TalkingUpTeesside #TalkingUpTeesValley State of the art bioscience laboratory opens for business T he first bioanalytical laboratory of its type in the North-East has opened for business in Darlington. The new laboratory at Teesside University’s National Horizons Centre is sponsored by Waters Corporation, a world-leading manufacturer of analytical instrumentation for the laboratory. The inauguration of the Waters Bioanalytical Laboratory came ahead of the official opening of Darlington’s National Horizons Centre, a £22.3m national centre of excellence for the UK bioscience industry. It is designed to provide the full range of skills for the bioscience industry and foster breakthrough ideas through collaborative research and innovation, including the application of digital technologies to improve performance and productivity. The bioanalytical laboratory is part of the Waters Centre of Innovation Program, which recognises innovative science in a select number of international collaborative MY PROPERTY BOX COMPLETES SANDERSONS LETTINGS MERGER laboratories. The laboratory has been borne out of a long-standing collaboration between Waters and Professor Jim Scrivens, of Teesside University’s School of Health and Life Sciences. Professor Scrivens said: “The bioanalytical laboratory will greatly enhance the range of work that we can offer at the National Horizons Centre and brings huge capability to the Tees Valley. “Mass spectrometry is an essential component of the health, pharmaceutical, biotechnology and bioprocessing industries, providing trace analysis, structural information and process characterisation.” The collaboration has resulted in the development of some of Waters’ leading- edge equipment as well as 25 peer- reviewed joint publications and more than 100 conference presentations. For more information about the National Horizons Centre visit tees.ac.uk/nhc. Council helps EE to ring up savings A new car-sharing initiative to help solve EE’s staff car parking problems has produced benefits for both the company and the local community. EE worked with Darlington Council transport planning officer Alex Kay to introduce a plan to reduce single- occupancy car use after pressure on car parking forced the firm to rent additional parking spaces. They have been able to reduce parking spaces by 70. Darlington Council is looking to work with other local companies facing similar parking and congestion issues that could introduce car-sharing. Email [email protected]. Anniversary year proves rock-solid for Stone Office block adds metal to Feethams development My Property Box has merged with Sandersons Lettings, enabling it to significantly expand its portfolio of locally rented homes. The merger allows the independent Darlington letting agent to grow its footprint substantially within the North-East region. As part of the agreement, the Sandersons office in Duke Street has closed, with three staff transferring to the My Property Box’s Grange Road premises. The announcement follows My Property Box’s takeover of Holt Estate Agents, which formerly had an office in Thornaby. Darlington-based Stone Technical Services (STS) has seen a record year of growth as it marks its 20th anniversary, with turnover increasing by ten per cent to around £3.3m. Bosses attribute the company’s success to its diverse divisions specialising in lightning protection, facilities management and restoration and conservation. Brothers Dave and Grahame Stone established STS in 1998. It is based on Kellaw Road, with offices London and Edinburgh. The firm has recruited three new apprentices to add to its 50-strong team at its Darlington HQ. Darlington town centre’s skyline is changing once again as the steel for a new office takes shape. Newton Aycliffe construction specialists Finley Structures won a contract to fabricate and erect 330 tonnes of steel for Feethams House. The five-storey office block development in the centre of the town will complement the area’s ongoing rejuvenation which has included a state- of-the-art leisure complex. The Feethams development, which opened in early 2016, is a £30m complex featuring nine-screen multiplex Vue cinema, an 80-bed Premier Inn and a range of bars and restaurants.