Daresbury offices for actuator specialist

Sci-Tech Daresbury

Electric actuator supplier Olsen Engineering has opened additional offices in Daresbury, Warrington, with the aim of providing much better North West regional sales support. The company took on the extra offices, based at Sci-Tech Daresbury, in February 2013. 

The new space gives Olsen the means to take advantage of networking opportunities with other science and technology companies from within the campus, as well as being able to use the vast array of multi-media conference facilities.

Sci-Tech Daresbury is one of two National Science and Innovation Campuses established in 2006. In December 2010 a new joint-venture company was created to spearhead the long-term development of the Campus. Partners in the joint venture are property developer and investor Langtree, the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), and Halton Borough Council.

“The whole philosophy around the Sci-Tech Daresbury is that they don’t just let anybody in - you have to be a fast-growing technology company,” explained Piers Olsen, managing director of Olsen Engineering.

“There are regular networking events at the campus and it is all about the common goal of accelerated growth. They encourage the 120 companies on campus to trade with each other and use each others’ resources. We have access to many technology companies with the possibility to outsource design and manufacture; several could even become good customers.

“There is a broad range of facilities available on campus, including ten different levels of meeting and conference rooms kitted with the latest multi-media technology, the largest of which is a 156-person lecture theatre. Other on-site facilities include a Starbucks café, a restaurant and a gym,” continued Olsen.

“STFC is based here too, which funds and supports science and technology in a broad cross section of the UK research community. STFC has close links to the European Council for Nuclear Research (CERN), so we get access to all the online tendering for new projects within CERN. This gives us an exclusive range of opportunities and we have already registered for a project in Sweden.

“STFC pioneered the frontier machine for light source synchrotrons, helping develop the ideas for CERN. Today globally installed machines are valued at more than £60 billion. The site boasts the UK’s largest supercomputer, HPCx, for developing applications. The site is also very scenic, bordered with oldest canal in the world. Daresbury STFC is also developing the largest radio telescope in the world, and the Nuclear Structure Facility has the world’s largest Van de Generator.”

John Leake, business development manager at Sci-Tech Daresbury, said: “ We're delighted to welcome a business of Olsen Engineering’s calibre to the growing cluster of high-growth, high-tech businesses on the campus, and I'm sure that the facilities and community at Sci-Tech Daresbury will contribute to the company’s continuing success.”