Smith+Nephew set to provide economic boost for East Yorkshire by building R&D centre at Melton West business park

Subject to planning approval, Smith+Nephew has announced it will build a new research and development and manufacturing facility for its Advanced Wound Management franchise at Wykeland’s Melton West business park in East Yorkshire.

The location is eight miles from Smith+Nephew’s current site in Hull, where the business has been located for more than 100 years. The new facility is expected to open in 2024.

The investment will create a world-class research and development, manufacturing and flexible office environment, which is expected to support more than £8bn of sales in its first 10 years of operation.

Dominic Gibbons, Managing Director of Hull-based Wykeland, owner and developer of Melton West, said: “We are delighted the strategic, long-term investments we have made in the infrastructure at Melton West business park have enabled Smith+Nephew to stay within the region and make such a huge investment in a state-of-the-art new facility.

“Smith+Nephew is one of the region’s leading employers, with a proud local history and heritage. This investment will open an exciting new chapter in that story.”

Simon Fraser, President of Advanced Wound Management for Smith+Nephew, said: “This major investment demonstrates our commitment to the UK and to building our leadership in Advanced Wound Management.

“Smith+Nephew was founded in Hull in 1856 and we are proud to make this major investment in the region for future generations.”

The Smith+Nephew facility will be the latest major development at the growing site, which features more than one million sq ft of completed warehouse, distribution, manufacturing and office space.

In December last year Wykeland secured planning permission from East Riding of Yorkshire Council for a £170m retail logistics fulfilment centre at Melton West. This centre will have a footprint of 558,000 sq ft and create between 1,300 and 1,500 permanent jobs, additional seasonal and indirect employment, and further jobs during the construction phase.

Last year Amazon opened a 125,000 sq ft last mile delivery centre on an adjacent site at Melton West and a new command and control facility for Humberside Police has recently been handed over and is due to be operational later this year.

Other leading businesses at Melton West include Heron Foods, which has its national Distribution Centre and Store Support Centre on site; generator manufacturer Allam Marine; shower maker Kohler Mira; and Needlers, the UK’s leading supplier of safety and hygiene products to the food manufacturing industry.