NEPIC celebrate growth since public funding withdrawal

Teesside-based process industry cluster, NEPIC, say growth has been steady since the withdrawal of public sector funding and the closure of the Regional Development Agencues in 2011.

The cluster held its Annual General Meeting last week at the Wilton Centre, where shareholders were informed of the successes.

NEPIC, which is now the only EU accredited UK cluster, and has been instrumental in delivering over 300 supply chain jobs to the region through the Regional Growth Fund.

The organisation now undertakes private consultancy business, focussed on both market and technical studies.

NEPIC Chairman Paul Booth commented: “Stan Higgins and the NEPIC team can be rightly proud of how they have turned around the cluster and sustained business activity in the region when many other such organisations have collapsed in the UK.

“NEPIC remains a strong voice for the Process Industry and this was demonstrated by their significant contribution to the recent UK Chemical Growth Strategy.

“Looking at the performance data of the NEPIC organisation, including 650 cluster participants, a globally read directory, direct support to more than 80 investments and 4,000 jobs and sustained marketing of the North East process industry capability is a great reflection on the NEPIC executives and all the participating industrialists.”