Work begins on new 70,000 sq ft Unilever centre in Port Sunlight

Construction is now underway on the Advanced Manufacturing Centre at Unilever’s Port Sunlight hub.

The 70,000 sq ft Wirral centre will house a new pilot plant, allowing engineers and scientists to test ideas in the development of home and personal care products on a larger scale.

DLA Architects, which has offices in Manchester, Leeds and London, created designs for the new facility while BAM Construction has been appointed as the contractor.

The site leader of Unilever Port Sunlight, Cameron Jones, said the beginning of construction “heralds a new phase on our journey of research and development at our historic Port Sunlight home”.

He continued: “In building the Centre we are renewing our commitment to R&D in the UK and the North West.

“From here we will have the capacity to innovate products with increased speed and efficiency, which we will turn into winning products to be enjoyed by tens of millions both here and around the world.”

Speaking further, Mr Jones said the new facility will complement the firm’s existing sites, including the Materials Innovation Factory being built at the University of Liverpool.

The Advanced Manufacturing Centre was boosted by investment from the UK Government’s Regional Growth Fund and forms part of a wider £200m plan from Unilever to invest in its Port Sunlight hub.

The project is due for completion in 2017.

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