GB14 – EPIC

Epic outside

EPIC has been an outstanding success story to date. It has seen more than ten businesses relocate to the centre, three of which are foreign-owned. With 40% of the centre already occupied, focus remains on attracting more companies to EPIC to join this ever-growing technology cluster.

Getting Building Fund has been awarded to help EPIC grow its technical capability. This will include the purchase of a Die Bonder to facilitate the assembly of microelectronic products, a Seam Sealer to hermetically close photonics packages, Alignment Apparatus to improve accuracy of prototypes; and enhancements to EPIC itself in terms of infrastructure (getting specialist gasses piped into the building).

Adding the above capability to a centre that already offers a classified cleanroom and microscopy and analysis equipment will be an attractive proposition to microelectronics businesses that are looking to grow their capacity and support a technically demanding market. The Getting Buidling Fund will help realise some of the ambitious plans that are in place for EPIC to become a globally recognised facility for microelectronics prototyping. This will also raise the profile and credibility of the EPIC project further to encourage more businesses to come into the centre and grow.

The Getting Building Fund investment in the South Devon College Hi Tech and Digital Centre builds upon the recent Growth Deal investment, further enhancing and extending capacity and capability to support the rapidly developing Hi Tech sectors locally. The investment will fund a Photonics Training laboratory, a composites centre, a fully featured app and games development suite, a material testing laboratory and expansion and enhancement of 3D printing capability. These facilities have been selected to complement and enhance those at our project partner, EPIC, and will be available to both College students and to the wider business community ensuring full benefit is made of these specialist resources. In delivering the project, the College will offer an additional 200 specialist training places and support the creation of 20 new jobs locally through growth in apprenticeship positions in the Hi Tech Sector.

 

Getting Building Funding: £1m

Completion date: March 2022

 

 

 

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    David Ralph

    Chief Executive

    David Ralph started as Chief Executive of Heart of South West LEP at the beginning of June 2018. Previously, he had spent 5 years as CEO of the Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire (D2N2) LEP from 2013 where he oversaw the development of the D2N2 Strategic Economic Plan and sector strategies, 3 Growth Deals with HM Government to deliver a £1billion capital investment programme, securing and implementing £200m ESIF programme, the Derby and Nottingham Enterprise Zone, the D2N2 Skills Deal and Time for Innovation programme, community fund and led the executive team to develop the HS2 East Midlands hub. He was also closely involved in the proposed North Midlands Devolution Deal and one of the key architects in establishing the Midlands Engine, chairing the officer steering group. Whilst in this role David was a NED of the Nottingham Enterprise Zone, and Marketing NG, the Outer Estates Foundation and a Governor of Nottingham College and on the advisory Board of Nottingham Business School.

    Before the East Midlands, David was CEO of the Have Gateway Partnership working closely with local stakeholders including the ports of Felixstowe, Harwich and Ipswich and BT Adadastral Park across Suffolk and Essex and prior to that was Chief Exec of the Barton Hill New Deal for Communities programme in Bristol and the Nelm Development Trust in Norwich.

    David is a keen sailor, walker and trail runner.