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Ion Science – leading manufacturer of high performance gas detection instrumentation and sensors for global occupational health and environmental monitoring applications – has completed the move into its new state-of-the-art £4.5 million, 1500m² facility.
Located in the village of Fowlmere in Cambridgeshire, the flexible new plant has been purpose-built to meet current and short-term needs, as well as reflect the on-going ambitions of the business, which continues to achieve 30% year-on-year growth.
Featuring a technologically advanced yet sympathetic design, which provides the effect of a cluster of smaller, low level agricultural type buildings, the facility has been specially constructed to achieve the highest possible hygiene, quality and environmental standards.
Duncan Johns, Managing Director at Ion Science comments: “Ion Science is excited to declare our new facility open and fully operational. This is a massive milestone in the company’s 27-year history and we’re looking forward to having the administration, sales and production capacity to achieve further expansion in both new and previously untapped markets and territories.”
“We like to play hard as well as work hard at Ion Science so the building has been designed to offer a fantastic working environment with well-equipped break-out spaces, lovely landscaped gardens and other outside recreational areas for staff and visitors to enjoy.
Duncan adds: “I would also like to take this opportunity to thank employees for their patience, dedication and hard work in helping get the plant operational within the allotted timeframe.
“The future for Ion Science and its staff, distributor network and offices in the USA, France and Italy looks extremely bright. With the new facility, we’re now ideally positioned to focus on further expanding our presence in global occupational health and environmental monitoring applications,” Duncan concludes.
Providing more light assembly, research and office space, the new plant boasts a range of exciting design features, including:
- Ground source heat pump which extracts heat from the ground via bore holes underneath the car park and provides heating and hot water for the building without burning fossil fuels.
- Modular access flooring which provides flexibility in the distribution of building services and building layout
- Building designed to maximise natural daylight using large windows, doors and rooflights
- Structural insulated panels (SIPs) form main structural element of both walls and pitched roofs to provide a highly insulated and air tight building envelope and resistance to damp and cold problem
- Internal layout and internal glazed screens provide a connection between areas and teams within the building
- Fully designed landscaping scheme incorporates all the recommendations of an ecological survey to enhance the site, including an eco-friendly pond
As well as investment in the building itself, Ion Science has installed the latest cutting-edge production equipment including a Weiss Technik floor-standing temperature and climatic control chamber to ensure the on-going quality and safety of its handheld and fixed photoionisation detectors (PIDs).
To facilitate the in-house production of printed circuit boards (PCB), Ion Science has also installed an advanced iineo Europlacer SMT pick and place complete production line system. Offering a high level of flexibility and feeder count, it is widely configurable without the need to compromise on placement speed or component capability and delivers complete manufactured items without human intervention.
Contact details for the new Ion Science facility are:
Ion Science Ltd, The Hive, Butts Lane, Fowlmere, Cambs. SG8 7SL
