Technology park provides togetherness for Zetex

Analogue semiconductor manufacturer Zetex is to bring its UK operations together on a single site at its base in Oldham, near Manchester.

Analogue semiconductor manufacturer Zetex is to bring its UK operations together on a single site at its base in Oldham, near Manchester.

The Zetex Technology Park will create a new corporate headquarters and integrate the product innovation, marketing, applications and supply chain functions currently operating at three separate locations in the town.

Colin Greene, Market Development Director at Zetex commented: "Bringing our UK resources together on the same site will help us build an even stronger company with all the means necessary to tackle an increasingly competitive and dynamic world market.

Closer integration of our design, manufacturing, marketing and applications skills will mean greater agility and increased innovation".

Growing rapidly since its formation in 1989, Zetex began with an existing 4in wafer fab at its Fields New Road site.

Operations were expanded in 1998 with a further 4in wafer fab and in 2002 with a new 6in wafer fab, both at the nearby Lansdowne Road site.

Offices were established at the adjoining, council owned Bentfield Industrial Estate in 2001.

Zetex has made an agreement to purchase the entire Bentfield Estate from the Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council early in 2004 and integrate it with the adjacent Lansdowne Road plant.

The Fields New Road site will be disposed of following transfer of manufacturing to the new site during 2004.

The Technology Park will bring the local Zetex workforce and facilities onto one 6-acre site.

Zetex employs 570 people in Oldham, 750 worldwide.

With a turnover of GBP 52 million in 2002, exports account for over 90% of the company's sales.

Colin Greene continued: "Our investment in The Technology Park is a strong indication of our confidence in our North West of England location.

We are fortunate to have some very close ties with some excellent universities in the region and the Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council have been very supportive on this project.

Zetex has achieved strong growth so far and this move creates opportunities to become stronger and more successful still".

It is expected that the Zetex Technology Park will be officially opened during the second half of 2004.

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