Wolverhampton Science Park Wolverhampton Science Park
Location
Technology Centre, Glaisher Drive,
Wolverhampton WV10 9RU

Contact Details
Contact: Martin Bucknell, Executive Director
Tel: 01902 824000 Fax: 01902 824005
Email: martin.bucknell@wlv.ac.uk
Website: www.wolverhamptonsp.co.uk

Creative Industries Centre

Partners
University of Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton City Council

Company History and Objectives
Wolverhampton Science Park Ltd was formed in 1993 as a private limited company through a partnership between the University of Wolverhampton and Wolverhampton City Council.

The Science Park is located at the eastern end of the strategically important Wolverhampton and Telford Technology Corridor.

The company's mission is to support the growth of sustainable and innovative businesses by providing a quality physical environment and associated support services, provided by the University of Wolverhampton and other partners, to a range of science and engineering technology sectors including creative industries. Congruent with this is the further aim to attract inward investment to the City of Wolverhampton from within the UK and from overseas businesses.

A prime site, about one mile north of the City centre alongside the main A449 trunk road, was selected for development, providing easy access to the motorway network, inter-city rail services and regional airports.

Technology Centre The first phase of the Science Park development was completed in 1995 with funding support from the European Regional Development Fund and City Challenge. Thirty thousand square feet of high-quality serviced office accommodation was made available for both new-start and established technology/knowledge-based companies.

Construction also included the creation of substantial conference and meeting facilities to provide tenants and outside organisations with the opportunity of delivering technical and other business meetings on the Science Park site.

The second phase of development was completed in November 2000, again with assistance from the European Regional Development Fund, which provided a 30,000 square foot extension to the Technology Centre. Apart from offices, this expansion also allowed the Park to cater for those tenants requiring space for laboratory or workshop-style activities. In 2001, Wolverhampton Science Park established a fully supported open-plan incubation facility – First Base – for new-start companies and individual entrepreneurs.

The facility achieved notable success, with the majority of its users progressing from birth of their companies in First Base to acquisition of formal office space elsewhere in the Science Park as developed and viable businesses.

2002 saw construction work start on a third major stage of expansion. Under the name of the Creative Industries Centre, the £7.1m phase three building was opened towards the end of 2003 and provided a substantial expansion of 45,000 square feet to meet continuing demand from companies wishing to locate at the Science Park.

As with earlier phases, contributions from the European Regional Development Fund played a major role in delivery of the project – along with very significant support and assistance from Advantage West Midlands.

Technology Centre entrance A key role of the Creative Industries Centre is to provide support for entrepreneurs from the creative sector to commercialise their businesses. Most of the new-start businesses involved are based on varying forms of digital media and include specialisations in digital animation, design and graphics, photo imaging and web development.

In accordance with this role, a business incubator facility dedicated to promoting, supporting and developing new creative businesses has been established. Under the brand name of SP/ARK, the services provided by the specialist incubator facilities – unique in the sub-region – have been highly successful as demonstrated by the total of well over 100 new-start companies supported in the first six years of operation.

Premises, Facilities and Land
The first development phase comprised the Technology Centre and the Development Centre buildings. The Phase Two expansion of the Technology Centre added an extra 30,000 square feet of accommodation including areas suitable for workshop and laboratory-based activities plus support facilities and a new main reception area.

Including the Creative Industries Centre, the three buildings now offer approximately 100,000 square feet of lettable space, plus the conference and meetings provision, along with catering and other facilities.

The Park is thus able to offer tenant companies high-quality accommodation in a range of sizes and specifications, supported by a comprehensive range of ancillary services.

The accommodation package, support services and the flexible lease arrangements are noted for their ability in meeting the changing requirements of growing companies.

Management and University Links
The Auditorium An integrated management team is located on the Science Park to cover all aspects of its activities, including its own strategic development, marketing, tenant relations and support, and facilities management.

The University of Wolverhampton and other on-site agencies provide technology and business support services for tenant companies.

A wide-ranging set of business support services is accessible by tenant companies through the onsite Wolverhampton Business Solutions Centre, in which the University is a major partner. The University also operates the Caparo Innovation Centre, based in the Development Centre building, which helps product innovators develop their concepts from inception through to market.

Enquiries about R&D collaboration, technical consultancy, recruitment of qualified graduate staff, analytical and testing services, etc., are also welcomed from non-tenant organisations.

The Science Park itself has developed a 'business surgery' facility, which brings onto the Park outside professional expertise in areas including patents, recruitment, legal, venture capital and accountancy matters.

Companies on the Park
Current tenants include:

Ashton & Bentley
Association of Colleges – West Midlands
B2B Quote Ltd
BCBS/SPEED Incubator
BCL Consultant Hydrogeologists Ltd
Beaming Success Ltd
Biocote Ltd
BK3 Training
Black Country Chamber
Black Country Reinvestment Society Ltd
Blue Light Design Ltd
Born Communication Ltd
Bosse Media Ltd
Business Advice Direct Ltd
Business Solutions
CA Design Services Ltd
Chart Energy & Chemicals Inc
CPN Systems Ltd
CR Motivation Ltd
Creative Ideaz (UK) Ltd
Crestwood Environmental Ltd
Customer Service Network Ltd
Daredevil Creative
Data Developments Ltd
DDC Engineering Solutions Ltd
Design Infusion
Dixon Associates
Eighty3 Creative Ltd
Employment Training College Ltd
Enable IT Solutions Ltd
Equipos Ltd
Equynox Research
ESP Ltd
Forward For Ltd
FunkiMunki Leisure Ltd
Gecko Programmes Ltd
Gold Disk Computers Ltd
Hat for Rent Productions
Healthcare Improvement Partnership (Wolverhampton City & Walsall) Ltd
Humdinger Productions Ltd
Hutchison Scientific Services Ltd
Impact Applications Ltd
JDD Furniture Ltd
KPR Midlink Ltd
Liquid Management Solutions Ltd
MR Management & Research
Manufacturing Advisory Service – West Mids
Mazars LLP
Medifilm (UK) Ltd
Mencap Ltd
Metabrasive Ltd
Metricate Ltd
Multidmedia Ltd (MDM)
Nexus Digital Vision Ltd
Nexus On-Demand
Novotronix Ltd
oMbiel Ltd
Plum Ideas Ltd
PRP Resources Ltd
RS Gough & Co
Ramesys
Ritac Ltd
RTS Resource Ltd
Seamless Systems Ltd
Sheila Porter
Simpro Ltd
Specialist Schools & Academies Trust
SPRUNG Ltd
Stacking Systems Ltd
STK Fire & Risk Management Ltd
Tang Solutions Ltd
TASC Software Solutions Ltd
Taxmind Ltd
Thandi Nicholls Ltd
The Business Change Factory
Thorne Architecture Ltd
Toffa International Ltd
TP (International) Ltd
Tundra Interactive Ltd
TY3 Media Ltd
Unique Wedding Consultancy Ltd
University of Wolverhampton:
• Centre of Engineering Excellence
• Education Partnerships
• Institute for Innovation and Enterprise
• Regional Support Centre
• School of Legal Studies
VooFoo Studios Ltd
W3 Insights Ltd
WatStech Ltd
Wedding Presenter Videography
Wow! Stuff (China Industries Ltd)
Zebra Uno Ltd

Further Information
The website at www.wolverhamptonsp.co.uk contains more details about its services, current news items, location maps/travel directions, etc.

A directory of tenants is also available on the site which provides a profile of most tenant company activities and links to their own websites.




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