Waters to Build New Mass Spectrometry Headquarters Near Manchester, U.K.

New Facility will Combine World-Class Customer Demonstration Labs with Advanced R&D and Expanded Manufacturing Capacity

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Jan 20, 2011, 04:00 ET

MANCHESTER, England, Jan. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT) today announced it signed a land-purchase agreement with The Royal Bank of Scotland for a new Mass Spectrometry (MS) Headquarters in Wilmslow, Cheshire, near Manchester, U.K.

Situated on the 37-acre Stamford Lodge site on the A538 Wilmslow/Altrincham road, three miles south of Manchester Airport the new facility is intended to unite Waters' existing mass spectrometry operations located on four separate sites in South Manchester and Altrincham. Plans for the new facility include state-of-the-art customer demonstration laboratories, research and development capabilities, and an expanded manufacturing capacity.

Mass spectrometry is used to identify and quantify chemical components in complex mixtures. It is a very sensitive analytical technique, enabling scientists to confidently measure components or contaminants present at levels well below a millionth of a gram. It is routinely used to safe-guard our food and water supply, protect the environment, provide medical diagnosis and to develop health-care solutions.

Waters' mass spectrometry technologies have advanced significantly over the past few years, especially with the introduction of a new range of more advanced instruments, such as the SYNAPT® and Xevo® ranges of mass spectrometers.

Brian Smith, Vice President of MS Business Operations at Waters Corporation said: "We are committed to working closely with our customers to advance mass spectrometry capabilities to address scientists' and societies' most pressing challenges. The new Waters MS Headquarters will be designed to accelerate the rate of innovation with increased access for the world's scientific thought-leaders."

"In addition to our commitment to our customers, Waters is honored to be able to continue Manchester's long legacy of mass spectrometry innovation. Starting with John Dalton's Atomic Theory in the early 1800's, Manchester continues to be a global centre for mass spectrometry technology," continued Brian Smith.

Plans for the new facility, within Cheshire East, also include employing BREEAM standards (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methods), which have become the accepted measure used to describe a building's environmental performance, and encouraging best practices in sustainable design.

Waters will be holding a public consultation at The Wilmslow Rugby Club on Thursday, January 27th 2011 and Friday, January 28th 2011 from 3pm-9pm to give the local people of Wilmslow an opportunity to learn more about the company and plans for the Stamford Lodge site.

Waters Corporation is working closely with Cheshire East Council's Regeneration Service. Erika Wenzel, Chief Executive at Cheshire East Council said: "We are very happy to be welcoming this prestigious company to Cheshire East. This is a fantastic opportunity to regenerate this area of Wilmslow.

"It will undoubtedly bring an exciting new perspective to the economic make up of the area and we are working closely with them to ensure that their move here is as smooth as possible."

Final sale of the land is dependent upon receiving planning and building permission from Cheshire East Council. The new Waters MS Headquarters is expected to open in 2013.

About Waters Corporation (www.waters.com)

Mass spectrometry (MS) is an analytical technique for the determination of the elemental composition of a sample or molecule.

For more than 50 years, Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT) has created business advantages for laboratory-dependent organizations by delivering practical and sustainable innovation to enable significant advancements in such areas as healthcare delivery, environmental management, food safety, and water quality worldwide.

Pioneering a connected portfolio of separations science, laboratory information management, mass spectrometry and thermal analysis, Waters technology breakthroughs and laboratory solutions provide an enduring platform for customer success.

With revenue of $1.50 billion in 2009 and 5,200 employees, Waters is driving scientific discovery and operational excellence for customers worldwide.

Waters, SYNAPT, and Xevo are trademarks of Waters Corporation.

SOURCE Waters Corporation