Discovery Park congratulates Pfizer Sandwich on new report of its economic impact; Investment in R&D and skills, and talented workforce, highlighted
Sandwich, Kent, December 14 2020 - Discovery Park, the Life Sciences Opportunity Zone for ambitious and growing life sciences companies, congratulates Pfizer Sandwich on its substantial economic impact in the region and across the UK. A new report, ‘The impact of Pfizer’s Sandwich site in the UK’, highlights the £1.2bn UK R&D spend since 2014 (primarily in Sandwich). Investment in skills via schemes such as apprenticeships, and the highly trained workforce, many of whom moved to the area to work for Pfizer, are also highlighted.Pfizer is a key anchor tenant for Discovery Park, with the two organisations collaborating in areas of interest such as manufacturing and skills. Both are part of the on-site Skills Steering Group and the Community Lab1, which is focused on exciting school pupils about science and STEM careers. Pfizer’s presence plays a role in attracting other knowledge-based companies to Discovery Park, which brings further economic impact.
Mayer Schreiber, CEO of Discovery Park, said, ‘It is clear that Pfizer Sandwich continues to bring considerable economic benefits to the local region and across the UK, for which it is to be congratulated. We are pleased to have the company as a tenant and partner in both our innovation ecosystem and ‘Schools to Science Parks’ STEM skills agenda.’
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1 NEW REPORT SHOWS IMPACT OF DISCOVERY PARK COMMUNITY LAB ON STEM EDUCATION - on Discovery Park website
Further details of the Pfizer Sandwich impact report are in the press release below.
For more information about Discovery Park please contact:
Discovery Park
Emma Palmer Foster, Communications
+44 (0)7880 787185
[email protected]
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November 25 2020
New report highlights the long-term economic benefits of Pfizer’s Sandwich site
A new report launched this week outlines the positive social and economic impact that the Sandwich site of global pharmaceutical company Pfizer has had in recent years.
While Pfizer has been top of the news recently, linked to its vaccine and therapeutic developments in the fight against COVID-19, the influence of the company and its economic and social footprint in the region is well established, tracing back to the 1950s when the company first set down roots in Kent.
This latest report, commissioned by Pfizer and produced by policy research specialists Public First, demonstrates that Pfizer’s Sandwich site remains a significant contributor to the overall prosperity and wellbeing of the local area and beyond, to wider Kent and the whole of the UK.
The findings highlight the critical role that Pfizer’s Sandwich site plays in the development of life-saving medicines. For example, since 2014 the company has spent over £1.2 billion supporting UK R&D (primarily at Sandwich) and around 85% of all Pfizer’s small molecule products pass through the site on their journey to market. Most recently, colleagues at Sandwich have been part of the global research efforts into potential therapeutic treatments for COVID-19; and the site contributes to ensuring millions of patients in over 100 countries continue to receive Pfizer medicines through its licence maintenance activities.
The site is also a key anchor employer for the local area, boosting its economy and culture. The report estimates that that for every Pfizer job at Sandwich, an additional two are created or supported across the economy – 2,378 jobs in total – and that colleagues at the site contribute around £10 million a year to the Kent economy through spending with local businesses and charities.
Julian Thompson, VP, Global Regulatory Operations and Sandwich Site Head commented: “We are incredibly proud of the work we do at Sandwich and of the significant contribution the site adds to the UK life sciences sector and beyond. Pfizer has a long and proud heritage here and the findings from the latest report demonstrated the scale of this and what Pfizer’s presence means for the local community.”
The report also reveals that the 754 colleagues in Sandwich generate an estimated £267 million in gross added value (GVA) for the UK economy – far above the UK average – and, of those answering Pfizer’s colleague survey at the site, 96% agreed with the statement that they were proud to work for Pfizer at Sandwich and 83% thought that the things they did in their job were highly worthwhile.
Furthermore, Sandwich is helping to train and encourage the next generation of scientists. The site has around 30 graduate placements and 10 apprenticeships at any one time and in 2018-19 around 17,000 students and school children were involved in programmes run directly by Pfizer colleagues in the region, such as Community Lab and Lab in a Box.
Craig Mackinlay, MP for South Thanet, commented on release of the report: “Pfizer has played an important role in the development of Sandwich as a growing life sciences hub and has established the South East of England as a global centre of excellence in supplying medicines to clinical trials.
“Pfizer is a credit to our local area and as South Thanet’s Member of Parliament, I will continue to work with the company to explore opportunities with a view to bringing new, highly-skilled jobs to South Thanet and East Kent.”
Cllr Trevor Bartlett, the Leader of Dover District Council, added: “Pfizer has been a cornerstone of the Dover district and wider Kent economy since the 1950s. We welcome Pfizer’s ongoing commitment to Sandwich and take pride in the ground-breaking medical research undertaken at the site.
“In recent months, Sandwich has played a key role in the fight against COVID-19, offering the world such promise at this difficult time. We’re delighted that Pfizer continues to invest at Sandwich, providing highly skilled employment opportunities and playing an active role in the local community through its education and skills development programmes.
“We look forward to supporting the development of Pfizer’s business, and the wider scientific community at Discovery Park as one of the country’s leading life science hubs.”
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About Pfizer: Breakthroughs That Change Patients’ Lives
At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products, including innovative medicines and vaccines. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 150 years, we have worked to make a difference for all who rely on us.
To learn more, please follow us on Twitter, Instagram and like us on Facebook.
For media enquiries please contact the Pfizer UK press office on 0845 300 8033 or email [email protected].
Editor’s Notes
ABOUT DISCOVERY PARK (WWW.DISCOVERY-PARK.CO.UK)
Discovery Park has grown to be a thriving part of the South East’s life science community over the past seven years as a multi-business science campus. The site offers high quality laboratory, office and manufacturing facilities, the space and support to expand, access to local finance, and a strong local scientific talent pool. It was named recently one of six prestigious UK Life Sciences Opportunity Zones by the UK Government, and is developing its vision for a Manufacturing Village.
The growing tenant community includes Pfizer, which built the site’s reputation as a centre for drug discovery and discovered some of the most famous drugs in the world here. Other tenants include Algaecytes, Canterbury Christ Church University, Concept Life Sciences, eXroid, Firza, Genea Biomedx, LGC, Viatris, Psyros Diagnostics, Salvensis, VisusNano and Wren Healthcare. Discovery Park is home to 160+ companies employing 3,500 employees in total. With easy connections to London, Europe and the world Discovery Park is a great place to build and grow your biotech, medtech or pharma business. Discover more via our website: www.discovery-park.co.uk email: [email protected] or call: 01304 614060. You can also follow us on social media.
@Discovery Park_ Discovery Park – Sandwich, Kent