It’s great news that the leading Gloucestershire innovation firm, Versarien, has decided that the Forest of Dean is the ‘perfect place’ for the location of its next stage manufacturing and research facility.
The company which makes the revolutionary graphene - a 2D material made from a single layer of carbon atoms – has leased units at the Longhope Business Park.
This new unit will house the company’s innovation centre and manufacturing and will create up to 15 new, local jobs.
I spoke to the company’s CEO, Neill Ricketts, last week where I congratulated him and his team on their expansion.
Last year, Versarien received a £5 million innovation loan from the Government. These loans are targeted at UK small and medium enterprises that want to scale up and grow by developing new or improved products, processes or services, as well as late-stage research and development projects that have not yet reached the point of commercialisation.
It was also good to discuss Neill’s plans to get local young people onto apprenticeships and sponsored university places – nurturing the talent of young people in the Forest of Dean.
Versarien recently collaborated with construction firm Nationwide Engineering to produce the world's first graphene commercial concrete slab, engineered for sustainability. The production of cement - the 'glue' for concrete - is one of the leading causes of global carbon dioxide emissions, producing around 10% of global CO2 emissions.
The addition of tiny amounts of graphene strengthens the concrete so that less material is needed to achieve the equivalent structural performance, reducing carbon footprint and costs. It can also reduce the need for steel reinforcement, saving material and time on site, further promoting the green credentials of the material.
This is a great example of some of the high-tech, innovative work that goes on right here in the Forest of Dean.
I agreed to visit Versarien’s new home in Longhope and very much look forward to dropping in to see the team soon!