Kromek Group hails 'milestone' lab expansion

A technology firm behind equipment helping diagnose illness and foil terror plots says it has hit “another major milestone” after completing a factory expansion.

Kromek Group has added a bioaerosol evaluation chamber to its County Durham headquarters.

Bosses say the hub will boost testing of early-warning airborne detection equipment aimed at alerting health authorities and emergency services to potentially life-threatening diseases.

The laboratory has been built as part of a programme with the US Department of Homeland Security, and comes after the firm – known for wearable radiation detectors – secured a deal with the organisation to research and develop technologies for a bio-detection system.

It also follows the NETPark-based company reporting its first annual profit.

Dr Arnab Basu, Kromek Group chief executive, said: “This new chamber significantly improves our ability to validate and refine our air sampling and pathogen detection systems.

“By replicating real-world conditions in a controlled environment, we can ensure our system performs effectively when deployed in the field.

“In an era of increasing biological threats, this investment underlines our commitment to delivering reliable tools to safeguard public health and national security.”

The expansion builds on a £30 million partnership with Siemens Medical Solutions USA to provide healthcare detection equipment, knowledge and intellectual property.

Kromek Group – whose technology is also used in scanners to help diagnose conditions such as osteoporosis – is set to send 15 furnaces for production of the semiconductor cadmium zinc telluride for use in medical detection equipment to Siemens, which is known as Siemens Healthineers.

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