William Hague hails The Heath an inspiring success story

Leading Conservative and former party leader William Hague hailed The Heath Business and Technical Park in Runcorn an inspirational success story which should be replicated across the UK.

The Shadow Foreign Secretary and Senior Member of the Shadow Cabinet praised SOG’s efforts adding: “I think it really is an inspiring story of how businesses can be developed and how science and skills can be kept together.

“It’s one I certainly did not know enough about. Now I want to make sure that George Osborne and Ken Clarke hear about what you have done here and told me about this morning.

“You have done all of this in a way that provides great employment and use of skills here in the north west without government subsidies – in fact you have been subsiding the government for the past 10 years!

“You are paying into the economy rather than taking out of it and that really is a model that we have to follow in other areas in the future. I hope a lot can be learned from what you have been achieving. I’m sure it can be and, if we are in government, we will want to encourage that.”

Mr Hague said it was important that the government did not put any bureaucracy in the way of The Heath business model being rolled out in the future elsewhere in the UK.

Mr Hague met directors of SOG Ltd – owner and operator of The Heath – and some of the cutting-edge and award-winning scientific companies based at the park including leading low cost fuel cell developer ACAL Energy and testing services specialist Exova.

He also viewed the early stages of the planned expansion which will provide an additional 190,000 square feet of offices and laboratories to the 60-acre location. The development at The Heath, which provides facilities to more than 175 organisations and around 2,000 jobs, is set to increase the workforce to 3,000 over the next five years.

SOG Managing Director Dr Peter Cook briefed Mr Hague on The Heath’s success over the past decade since the company took over the ailing site which was once chemicals headquarters of ICI. By retaining the some of the highly skilled ICI technicians and utilising their knowledge, SOG has transformed The Heath from a single-occupancy site to a thriving business and science park.
The transformation has taken place without any Government funding and SOG has now developed its ‘Fusion’ concept aimed at replicating The Heath business model to regenerate other locations in the UK.

Dr Cook told Mr Hague: “SOG is now focused on a new project entitled ‘Fusion’ which is aimed at replicating The Heath success at other locations in the UK to form a network of unique scientific R&D at no expense to the taxpayer. We are already involved at a location in Manchester and are also advising one of the UK’s leading pharmaceutical companies regarding a site in the south of England.

“There are numerous examples of large organisations scaling back operations and wishing to move into smaller footprint. They operate from impressive sites with excellent facilities and highly skilled personnel. We believe we have a business model which can enable organisations to downsize while at the same time protecting this precious skills base and use it to support new businesses, creating more jobs in the longer-term.....keeping the UK at the forefront of scientific research and development in the years ahead.”

Mr Hague toured the park and was given a glassblowing demonstration by SOG’s glassblower Paul Lepinnet who presented him with a special memento. Mr Hague gave a speech to prominent business leaders of the North West followed by a question and answer session.

The Heath is no stranger to high-profile political visits. Over recent years the business park has attracted Prime Minister Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister Tony Blair, former Ministers Ian Pearson, Lord Drayson, Kenneth Clarke, Steven Norris, Lord Heseltine and Lord Sainsbury.

William Hague is a prominent figure in the Conservative Party, previously holding the posts of Minister of State for Social Security, Secretary of State for Wales and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1997 to 2001.