Dyson has announced that it will be opening a huge new technology campus in the UK close to its global headquarters in Malmesbury.
Built on former Ministry of Defence land, the 517 acre campus is Dyson’s answer to the 175 acre park Apple is building in California.
With the new centre the company expects to increase its footprint in the UK tenfold, boost UK technology exports and create more high-skilled jobs in science and engineering.
It’s not going to all be research into vacuums and hairdryers either; as the UK’s largest investor in robotics Dyson will use the space to develop new technologies in batteries, vision systems, machine learning, and AI.
Room to grow
At the moment the company spends £7 million per week on research and development so this new space will certainly help it make a dent in the £2.5 billion it’s committed to investing in new technologies.
James Dyson said, “After 25 years of UK growth, and continuing expansion globally, we are fast outgrowing our Malmesbury Campus. The 517 acre Hullavington Campus is an investment for our future, creating a global hub for our research and development endeavours. It will enable us to continue creating world class products and jobs right here in the Cotswolds”.
The existing 56 acre headquarters will receive an investment of £250 million to become home to the planned Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology from September.
Building on the work of the James Dyson Foundation, this institute will offer an engineering education program. The plan is that the institute will apply for degree awarding powers, allowing it to become a new university.
Site preparations for the new Hullavington Campus Site will begin next week and it's expected to be occupied by the end of 2017.
