A blueprint aimed at more than quadrupling turnover in Scotland’s industrial biotech sector to £900 million, has been launched at a major European conference.
The paper unveiled by development agency Scottish Enterprise and industry partnership body Chemical Sciences Scotland (CSS) at Ecochem in Basle, Switzerland outlines plans to drive forward industrial biotechnology (IB) activity north of the border through to 2025.
Around 40 companies with operations in Scotland are involved in industrial biotechnology including INEOS Bio, ThyssenKrupp and INgenza with total annual sales of £189m.
Developed by the Scottish Industrial Biotechnology Development Group, the new national plan is designed to significantly increase that turnover figure by encouraging the industry to focus on four key areas for improvement: engagement; skills; innovation; the potential for the future development of a biorefinery/biochemical facility in Scotland.
“In 20 years’ time, the chemicals industry will be transformed by the increasing use of renewable feedstocks and bio-processing steps,” CSS chairman Sandy Dobbie said.
“If Scotland is to remain competitive, we must act now and capitalise on this changing environment,” the CSS chairman added.
“Our strong company base, academic excellence in research and innovation, natural resources and strong track record in collaboration makes Scotland and its chemicals sector well placed to capitalise on this huge opportunity.”
Caroline Strain, head of chemical sciences at Scottish Enterprise, told Ecochem’s 2,000 delegates that supporting companies in the industrial biotechnology sector was now a strategic priority.
She said: “The rise in global population, rapid depletion of resources, increasing environmental pressures and climate change are each driving the need to develop more sustainable manufacturing processes.
“Investing in industrial biotechnology can help us achieve that.
“Supporting more companies, both at home and overseas, to invest in IB technology in Scotland is a priority for us.
“Building on our existing strengths in this area, we aim to position Scotland as an international hub for IB excellence.”
Enterprise Minister Fergus Ewing said Scotland already had a significant IB sector and was set to play an even greater role as the global industry grew in value to an estimated £360 billion by 2025.
“Industrial biotechnology is set to play a crucial role in maintaining competitiveness in global markets where bio-based products and processes are rapidly becoming established,” Mr Ewing said.
“Focused technology development, coupled with a thriving research environment, are critical to enable us to exploit these market opportunities.
“With Scotland’s strengths in industrial biotechnology in both the academic and business communities, we have the potential to make a significant contribution to the development of this important sector.”
Among the Scottish contingent travelling to the Ecochem conference is Fife-based Cellucomp.