Global group Unilever and anti-bug developer in move to Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus

CONSUMER products group Unilever is to establish a new research and development function within the Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus.

The Anglo-Dutch manufacturer of food and personal care products is to use the computational science expertise of Daresbury Laboratory to research and develop new products.

Its existing R&D team, at Port Sunlight, will also use the site’s super-computers to develop special software tools that can predict how different ingredients used in detergents interact with each other.

The company said if successful, this will enable Unilever to improve products for consumers using environmentally-friendly manufacturing methods.

Unilever spokesman Dominic Tildesley said: “Product formulation is at the heart of our business, and we are delighted to be working with one of the best computational modelling centres in the world.”

Dr Richard Blake, director of computational science and engineering at the Cheshire site, added: “The personal care products we all use every day, such as shampoo and toothpaste, are actually very hi-tech and are made up of a number of complex, structured materials.

“The chemical industry is one of the UK’s largest manufacturing sectors and it is vital for companies like Unilever to invest in research and development to be able to innovate and grow. We hope that the results of this research will pave the way for further advances in materials chemistry which will benefit consumers, the environment and the wider economy.”

Meanwhile, Daresbury’s Innovations Technology Access Centre (I-TAC) has attracted its first tenant in the shape of Manchester-based bug-battling firm Byotrol, which has relocated its research and development arm from Erlangen, in Germany, to the Daresbury site.

I-TAC will provide access to £3m-worth of cutting-edge scientific equipment in 16 fully-equipped laboratories.

Byotrol has developed a hygiene technology used in sprays, mousses and wipes to combat bugs and viruses.

Its founder and deputy chairman, Stephen Falder, said: “All of this is aimed at achieving our goal of increasing our capacity to find a whole range of new and valuable uses for the technology.

“Moving to the laboratory has given access to a wide range of equipment and specialists.”