Kier has signed a Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) with Haleon to deliver a state-of-the-art global Oral Health Innovation hub in Weybridge, Surrey.
Named by the UK Government as part of its International Investment Summit, it’s a key space to support research and development for the global health provider, with brands including Sensodyne, Centrum and Panadol. The four-storey building is set to be a centre of global excellence for oral health life sciences research and innovation when complete.
Representatives from Kier joined Haleon for a groundbreaking ceremony attended by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, the UK Minister for Technology.
Image: Haleon
The new space will incorporate state-of-the-art and digitally enabled laboratories, alongside contemporary office workspaces and a dedicated consumer behavioural research facility. Equipped with the latest technology, the centre will feature a cutting-edge digital immersive room that will bridge the gap between ideas and reality, connecting the hub to Haleon’s manufacturing site in Levice, Slovakia.
The scheme will also feature a new car park building with 50% allocation for EV charging spaces, and site-wide landscaping and living roofs to enhance biodiversity.
David Rowsell, managing director for Kier Construction, London & Thames Valley, said: "We are delighted to be part of a project that is so important to the UK economy and will provide a world-leading global hub for oral health life sciences, R&D and innovation which is central to the UK’s Industrial Strategy.
“The scheme further reinforces our private sector experience and showcases our design and build expertise in delivering large-scale and innovation-led science and technology environments in the London and Thames Valley region."
Franck Riot, Chief R&D Officer, Haleon, added: "We are excited to break ground on our Global Oral Health Innovation Centre - a major investment reflecting our commitment to advancing science and innovation. This powerhouse for oral health research will strengthen Haleon’s R&D capabilities and accelerate the development of cutting-edge solutions to meet the evolving oral health needs of consumers around the world."
The project reinforces Kier’s extensive public and private sector expertise supporting the UK’s leading position for R&D, science and technology. It comes after Kier handed over a new state-of-the-art home for life science organisations in the UK at the Advanced Research Clusters (ARC) West London Refinery Building development in Hammersmith.
