Scymaris, a UK-based scientific services provider, has relaunched the former AstraZeneca Brixham Environmental Laboratory in Devon with backing from Torbay Council and Plymouth University.
The firm has become the anchor tenant at Brixham Laboratory, located at Freshwater Quarry, and will provide environmental laboratory testing services to pharmaceutical, agrochemical and chemical industries across the globe.
The campus is owned by Plymouth University and currently also houses 25 other local firms.
Scymaris will create 80 jobs at the laboratory over the next three years and expects to attract customers across Europe, US and Asia.
It has the ability to provide direct access to both marine and freshwater laboratory testing as well as environmental fate and product chemistry services.
'Brixham Laboratory is a world-class facility with a deep 65-year history of environmental laboratory testing including: aquatic ecotoxicology, environmental fate and biodegradation services,' said Tim Derrington, CEO of Scymaris.
'A number of environmental laboratory tests are generally required as part of the approval process for new pharmaceutical or chemical products and understanding the possible risks and impact on the environment is critical.'
Derrington said next month the firm will meet several potential European customers to discuss placement of several projects.
The firm expects strong growth in environmental laboratory testing owing to the increasing importance of environmental protection and the ongoing need for new products in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries globally.
Scymaris is one of only a handful of testing laboratories across the world with direct access to both marine and freshwater capabilities.
Companies who wish to market chemicals, pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals must obtain government approvals to do so which requires this type of specialised laboratory testing.
Torbay Council is supporting Scymaris using funding from the Torbay Growth Fund.
The company has also been supported by TDA, Heart of the South West LEP and the Department for International Trade.
