MTC moves to Liverpool Science Park

Manufacturing Technology Centre has taken 4,750 sq ft in IC1 at Liverpool Science Park, bringing 60 full-time employees to the site.

The MTC’s move into LSP means that IC1 and IC2 are fully let for the first time since opening in 2005. There is only space available in the third and final building, IC3, which is predominantly lab space.

MTC was established in 2010 as an independent research and technology organisation with an aim to bridge the gap between academia and industry. It has been based at Liverpool John Moores University’s Byrom Street Campus since 2015. Its expansion marks an increase it its North West operations.

MTC was founded by the University of Birmingham, Loughborough University, the University of Nottingham, and TWI. It is part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, a group of manufacturing research centres in the UK, which is supported by Innovate UK, part of the UK’s research and innovation organisation.

Sciontec Liverpool, a sister company of Knowledge Quarter Liverpool, took over building management of LSP in March this year under the leadership of Sciontec and KQ Liverpool chief executive Colin Sinclair.

Sciontec Liverpool recently announced that Bruntwood SciTech were the preferred bidder to become a 25% shareholder in the development company, along with the University of Liverpool, Liverpool City Council and LJMU.

Mark Power, vice-chancellor at LJMU, said: “As soon as we heard that the MTC was looking for additional, space we knew that Knowledge Quarter Liverpool, and more specifically LSP, was the perfect place for them.

“In previous years lettings of this calibre would have gone to a competing city but Liverpool’s Knowledge Economy is going from strength to strength and this deal with the MTC absolutely confirms that.”

Charlie Whitford, associate director for strategic development at the MTC, said: “We are excited to be expanding our footprint in Liverpool and broadening our services and support for the wider North West, supporting skills, productivity and growth in the region.

“For the past four years we have been located on the LJMU campus. We’re looking forward to continuing our work with LJMU, as well as working with the University of Liverpool and other regional stakeholders to help manufacturers in the North West refion stay competitive, improve product development and processes, and benefit from new technologies, taking academic research and translating it into innovative manufacturing solutions for industry.”