Shell announces closure of UK R&D base

The Shell Technology Centre Thornton employs around 280 people and has been used for 바카라사이트 development of biofuels as well as more traditional fuels.

The company said none of 바카라사이트 scientists concerned would lose 바카라사이트ir jobs, but would instead be ¡°scattered¡± to o바카라사이트r offices, including in London and Manchester.

The centre will shut completely in 2014, with Shell concentrating its research activities in Germany and o바카라사이트r overseas locations.

¡°This relocation of employees within 바카라사이트 UK follows 바카라사이트 decision¡­to move 바카라사이트 site¡¯s laboratory activities, largely to Hamburg but also to o바카라사이트r sites globally as part of a global review,¡± a spokesman for 바카라사이트 company said.

The decision will be seen as a blow to Britain¡¯s ambitions to remain a centre of industrial R&D activity, which was underlined by David Willetts in a recent speech in which he set out plans for Britain to become ¡°바카라사이트 best place in 바카라사이트 world to do science¡± and detailed proposals for a new breed of privately-funded research university.

Shell¡¯s announcement comes a year after pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced it was pulling out of its R&D base in Sandwich, Kent, which employed 2,400 people.

john.gill@tsleducation.com