A group of leading UK cryogenic companies called the “Cryogenics Cluster” has won the South East Regional Cluster Mark competition, launched last year by the British government’s Department of Business Innovation and Skills. The awards were designed to highlight and boost the reputation of UK manufacturing companies.
A ‘cluster’ is defined as a geographic concentration of inter-connected companies, suppliers and institutions all working in related industries. Members of the cluster both collaborate and compete, but all contribute to advancing their particular field.
Cryox Ltd, a spin-out company of the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) Rutherford Appleton Laboratory led the bid for the National Cluster Mark to recognize cryogenic companies.
The clusters can represent intense rivalry and the highest competitive performance on one hand, while creating a local cooperative infrastructure uniquely fertile to companies in the cluster on the other hand, according to John Vandore, Chief Executive at Cryox Ltd.
Among the companies that make up the Cryogenics Cluster are Air Products, the British Cryogenics Council, Diamond Light Source, FMB Oxford, Oxford Cryosystems, Scientific Magnetics, Sumitomo Cryogenics, Tesla Engineering and Thames Cryogenics.
“Perhaps the best example coming out of the cluster is the development of superconducting magnets used in laboratories, but particularly in MRI scanners; you can trace this development to the industry represented in the cluster,” said Vandore.
He explained that members of the cluster submitted data about their involvement in cryogenics. The group represents more than 5000 employees and over 1 billion pounds sterling in turnover. In the future he expects many more cluster members.
As winner of the regional award, the Cryogenics Cluster was a candidate for the National Cluster Mark Award, which was announced in a ceremony on March 24 at London’s Lancaster House. The cluster finished in the top six and came home with a commendation, a formal recognition of the group’s growth potential.
Vandore admitted it was disappointing not to win the national award, but noted that cryogenics is involved in a range of activities, some of which were represented by other companies in the competition. “The winning cluster, a seafood processor, wouldn’t be there without us,” he said. “They depend on cryogenics and our cluster to freeze their fish!”
