NEPIC
The North East of England Process Industry Cluster
Set up by industry to develop the long term future and improve
competitiveness of the Process sectors in North East England.
NEPIC is a ‘Cluster’ organisation that represents the 500+
Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, Speciality, Polymer & Rubber,
Petrochemical & Commodity Chemical and Supply Chain companies
based in North East England and was established by industry to
develop the long term future and improve competitiveness of these
sectors and the region.
The Cluster Network
A true Supply Chain Cluster
Biotechnology, Fine & Speciality Chemical, Pharmaceutical,
Polymer & Rubber and all other types of companies in the supply
chain of the industry are involved as full Cluster members
Examples:
• Analytical Companies
• Communication
• Control Engineering
• Disaster management
• Equipment Suppliers
• Legal & Financial Firms
• Mechanical Engineering
• Management & Strategy Consultants
• Performance Improvement
• Process Development
• Process Engineering
• Marketing & PR Firms
• Publishers and Printers
• Purchasing Companies
• Recruitment Companies
• Research Institutions
• Specialists eg Material Safety Data
• Technology Transfer Consortia
• Tool Makers
• Waste Management and Recycling
Currently there are over 560 member companies & associate member companies
working together to make the industry and the region stronger.
NEPIC – a One Stop Shop
Companies often complain
about the expansion and
shifting landscape of public
service initiatives.
NEPIC acts as a
knowledgeable and value
adding interface for
companies with regional and
national government,
academic institutions and
trade associations
Member companies benefit from leadership &
co-ordination of activities of mutual benefit.
NEPIC LEADERSHIP TEAM
The secret to NEPIC’s success is that top industrialists from all sub sectors in the region
form the NEPIC Leadership Team
NEPIC STRATEGIC THRUST TEAMS
Focus on several strategic themes of crucial importance to the sector.
1. Innovation
2. SME & Trade team
3. GDP Growth Team
4. Education & Engagement
5. Process Engineering
6. Marketing & Communications
7. Manufacturing and Productivity
Chaired by members of the Leadership Team and populated by senior people from
industry and the supply chain
The Process Sectors
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Chemicals
Petrochemicals
Fine & Speciality Chemicals
Pharmaceuticals
Composites
Polymers
Biotechnology, Bioprocessing, Bioproducts
Biofuels
Renewables
Key facts about the Biotechnology, Fine & Speciality
Chemical, Petrochemical, Pharmaceutical, Polymer & Rubber
sectors in the North East of England
• Home to 58% of the UK’s Petrochemical
Industry
• Home to 35% of the UK’s Pharmaceuticals
industry
• Home to a major proportion of the UK’s Fine &
Speciality industry
• Home to a rapidly growing Biotechnology sector
• Home to over 260 Polymer and Rubber
companies
• This sector is the UK’s highest exporter £31.8bn,
with the NE exporting £4.5bn
• UK’s second largest port 70% occupied by
Process Industry Goods
• Largest non-military R&D Centre in Europe
The Importance of the Biotechnology, Fine & Speciality
Chemical, Petrochemical, Pharmaceutical, Polymer &
Rubber sectors to the North East of England
• Over 35,000 people employed
• A further 200,000 are indirectly
employed
• Generates over £10 billion (over
30%) of the regions GDP
• It is the regions largest industrial
sector
Innovation Strengths of the NEPIC Cluster
2010
Strong
Imaging & Displays
Academia/Centres of Excellence Innovation Strength
Measurement
Science
Materials
Chemistry
Industrial
Biotechnology
Responsive
Manufacturing
Fuel
cells
Favourable
Surface
Coatings
Catalysis
Nanotechnology
Sustainable
Technology
STRENGTHEN INDUSTRY
SUPPORT & DEVELOP
Tenable
Adhesives
& Sealants
Microfluidics
Creative
Synthesis
Novel Surface
Effects
LOW PRIORITY
STRENGTHEN ACADEMIA
Weak
Product Design
& Formulation
Device Enabled
Chemistry
Absent
Absent
Weak
Tenable
Favourable
Industry Innovation Strength
Strong
Size of circles
indicates scale
of opportunity
North East Process Investment
Prior to cluster activity the region did not have a portfolio of investment in this
sector. Following NEPIC’s growth team activity more than £3bn invested.
The current portfolio of ongoing projects totalling £8 billion identified by NEPIC and
its members. NEPIC is actively involved with the delivery of £4.6 billion of these
projects today.
£105m
£125m
£51m £155m
£43m
£2295m
£1736m
Commodity
Chemicals
Pharmaceuticals &
Healthcare
Specality Chemicals
Biofuels &
Biotechnology
Energy
Oil and Gas
Other
Process Sector Continues to Rejuvenate and Expand
CLOSURES
START-UPS OR REINVESTMENT
IN PROGRESS
Arizona
Ensus
Greenstar
Air Products
Dow (Ethylene oxide)
Hart Biologicals
Glaxo SmithKline
INEOS Bio
Lundbeck Pharmaceuticals
Lotte Chemical (UK) ltd
Yara
Pyreco
V-Fuels
MSD
Greenergy
Tennergis
Croda
Huntsman (PU and Tioxide)
Four Rivers
Sembcorp (Wilton 11)
Invista
SABIC
Fruitarom
Elementis
Sembcorp
Shasun Pharma Solutions
Biofuels Corp
GrowHow
Fine Organics
D1 Biofuels
Exwold Technology
Compact GTL
Artenius
Northumbrian Water
Harvest Energy
Renewable Energy
SABIC Aromatics
sanofi-avenetis
Ineos Nitriles
Coal Gasification
Reckitt Benckiser
Piramal Pharma Solutions
Hi Tech Coatings
Specials Laboratory
Graphite Resources
2nd Generation Biofuels
SCM Pharma
Banner Chemicals
Aesica Pharmaceuticals
ISP Techwax
Compact GTL
Covance
High Force Research
Mitsubishi Chemicals
OTHER CONFIDENTIAL
PROJECTS IN THE
FOLLOWING SECTORS
NEPIC Membership
Membership Benefits Summary:
• NEPIC credited by its members with creating £600m GVA per annum
• Networking opportunities through our regular business & social meetings
• Voice of the industry to Government and stakeholders
• Collaborative projects leading to new business and innovation opportunities
• Publicising your business and the regions capabilities on a global level through the NEPIC website,
NEPIC Directory, our Focal Point newsletter and a number of bespoke marketing brochures
• Increased profitability through subsidised Energy, Resource Efficiency & Productivity Programmes
• International Trade, New Business Opportunities & Supply Chain Connections
• Support for your Regional Investments with Technical & Funding advice
• Impacting on Skills, Education & Stakeholders
• Access to World Class Technology & Development Facilities
• Opportunity to join the NEPIC Buying Group – 16 members have saved a total of £456,000 in the first
year of membership