Construction to Start on New Cawthron High Tech Laboratories

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12 October 2012

Construction Set to Start on New Cawthron High Tech Laboratories to Help Boost Export Earnings

Construction is set to start before Christmas on Cawthron Institutes new high technology laboratories at its Halifax Street campus in Nelson. Cawthron is New Zealands largest independent research institute specialising in environmental research and research for the food and aquaculture industries. It also has substantial testing laboratories and provides seafood safety testing for key sectors of the aquaculture industry.

The new $5 million facility on its Halifax Street site will provide nearly 400 square metres of high specification laboratory space, to replace some of its present facilities built in the 1970s. In addition to laboratories the building will also include office space, meeting rooms and staff facilities.

Cawthron Chairman Ian Kearney, says the new building is a key part of Cawthrons drive and focus on continuing innovation in scientific research and development.

A lot of New Zealands economic growth and future direction is reliant on innovative science and original thinking which Cawthron Institute is renowned for. This building is stage one of a four stage project to replace the facilities and laboratories in the Rigg building on the Halifax Street campus. Many of the facilities in the Rigg building are outdated and an orderly programme to replace them is now starting.

Cawthron is now setting the stage to build on its contributions to New Zealands economic development of the past 90 years. Earlier this year Cawthron sold its environmental testing business to R. J. Hill Laboratories to refocus on high-value research and development and the new building underpins this strategy. Cawthron is expanding specialist analytical services in challenging areas of new method development and health claim validations for foods and nutraceuticals.

Mr Kearney says, Some great science has come out of our existing laboratories in Halifax Street which were built in the 1970s. We are now going to be providing 21st century tools and facilities for our scientists. This can only add to the value of the science we will be progressing.

For example, Cawthron recently announced the development of very high-value algae compounds, CNCs, which it is selling to overseas laboratories for hundreds of thousands of dollars a gram.

Cawthron has always focused on using science to provide solutions to problems and these new facilities will assist, Mr Kearney says.

See the original post:
Construction to Start on New Cawthron High Tech Laboratories