Investing in Dunstable

On Friday 18 June, global manufacturer of technical adhesive tapes and compounds, Scapa, officially opened its newly modernised premises in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. Scapa celebrated significant investment in the area with councillor Carol Hegley, chairperson of South Bedfordshire Council, councillor Jim Anklesaria, the town mayor of Dunstable, Andrew Selous, MP for South West Bedfordshire, as well as investors, contractors involved in the build and Scapa employees.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provided a £1 million grant which, coupled with significant investment of £7.5 million from Scapa, aided the expansion. Designated a European ‘centre of excellence’ for medical products, the new Scapa facility incorporates a state-of-the-art medical clean room, sophisticated coating equipment and research capabilities. This will ensure Scapa has continued success in developing and manufacturing innovative products for professional and consumer wound care. New coating and converting machinery has also been installed for both single- and double-sided foam tapes, used in the automotive, building and construction and other manufacturing industries.

Tony Watson, chief executive at Scapa, commented: “The official opening of Scapa’s Dunstable manufacturing premises is part of our strategic re-engineering programme designed to deliver new products to customers through improved processes, strengthened supply chain and logistics and effective deployment of Scapa’s skills. This would not have been possible without the funding support we received from the DTI.”

Over the past three years, Scapa has invested £17 million in its UK operations. Earlier this year, the company also opened its new world-class ‘centre of excellence’ in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, where a number of key product ranges are manufactured, including cable wrapping tapes; self-amalgamating tapes; and adhesive cloth tapes.