Leading speciality chemical and material provider Ingevity UK Limited, appointed John Turner Construction to undertake the design and construction of the CAPA® Innovation Centre, for the research and development of engineered polymers.

This new two-storey laboratory and office building has been constructed on a remediated site within a secure chemical manufacturing site in Warrington. A new covered corridor has also been built to link into the adjacent main laboratory building. Special consideration to co-ordination and programming was required to ensure the plant remained fully operational, with live mains and complex services being maintained during our construction works.

Using a steel frame on piled foundations, with a render and glass façade, the building provides a feature reception, welcome area and conference rooms, three advanced research laboratories with benching and fume cupboards and a constant temperature room with a separate ventilation system. Also included are shower and changing rooms with special drench showers, two silent rooms and a library, a communications room and a staff mess room with a small kitchen. Additionally a passenger lift, air handling units, a sprinkler system, a solar photo voltaic array and a vulcathene chemical-proof drainage system were installed.

All the office and laboratory furniture was included in our contract with the client supplying specialised bespoke laboratory and IT equipment. We carefully co-ordinated the delivery, access and installation of this equipment with the client’s directly engaged suppliers.

External works included the realignment of the existing service road, hard landscaping and paving, a storage area compound for laboratory gases and a plinth for a liquid nitrogen bulk storage tank.

Client: Ingevity UK Limited