Smith & Nephew to Close U.K. Facility Next Year

Smith & Nephew plc is ending its 20-year relationship with the U.K. city of York.

The orthopedic device behemoth recently announced it would close its facility there next year and relocate the 80 employees who work there to other locations in the United Kingdom and United States by the end of 2016. The York facility is being closed to accommodate the company’s new U.K. commercial hub near London, according to the York-based newspaper The Press.

Smith & Nephew first moved to York in 1992, and was the first occupant of York Science Park, inhabiting an 83,000-square-foot building near the University of York.

The company chose the area “immediately north of London” for its new hub due to its “excellent transport links within the UK and internationally.” In a letter to employees, the company said, “We are close to finalising our search for the property and will announce this in the near future. We expect the first roles to transition to the new hub in early 2016.”

Smith & Nephew consulted with all affected staff, and promised to look at relocation options and flexible roles for employees as much as possible.

“From our perspective it’s very sad to see Smith & Nephew leave,” said Tracey Smith, managing director of York Science Park. “They were integral to the launch of the Science Park as our anchor tenant, and they have used their building, which is home to a mixture of office space and laboratories, in various different ways over the years. The space they have vacated will be hugely popular, and I expect in high demand thanks to York’s thriving science scene.”

During its time in York, Smith & Nephew has worked on a number of research projects with the University of York, and was one of the early members of Science City York.

“The University has enjoyed a warm and mutually beneficial relationship with the company,” a university spokesperson told The Press. “Smith & Nephew has been active in supporting research at York, particularly in biology, and was a key player, along with the University, in York’s designation as Britain’s first Science City in 1998.”

Heather Niven, head of Science City York, which is now part of Make It York, said, “We are disappointed to hear of this news, Smith and Nephew has been a long standing member of Science City York’s business network. The company has been heavily involved in the growth and prosperity of the city over the last 23 years and has engaged with the business community, contributing significantly to supporting bioscience business growth. While a move would represent a key loss for the city, York’s science and technology industries are buoyant and we remain committed to bringing new businesses into the city, as well as supporting existing ones.”