November 10, 2025: Convatec has announced plans to expand its research and development (R&D) presence in the United Kingdom with a £500 million investment over the next decade. The move is part of the company’s broader global strategy to accelerate innovation in chronic care solutions.
As part of this investment, Convatec will establish a new state-of-the-art R&D hub in Manchester, set to open in 2027. The facility will be among the largest in Convatec’s global network of Technology & Innovation Centres, supporting the company’s four key categories: Advanced Wound Care, Ostomy Care, Continence Care, and Infusion Care. It will also feature advanced analytical R&D capabilities, regulatory functions, and a digital health innovation unit.
In a report by MPO (Medical product outsourcing), Convatec Interim CEO Jonny Mason said, “This announcement marks an exciting moment in Convatec’s commitment to pioneering medical solutions to improve the lives we touch,” “Our plans to invest more than $1 billion, anchored by major expansion plans in both the United States and the United Kingdom, demonstrates our commitment to advancing healthcare innovation for people living with chronic conditions around the world.”
Convatec invests over $100 million annually in R&D—around 5% of its revenue—fueling a strong pipeline of new products to meet unmet needs in chronic care. The planned U.K. investment follows a review of the company’s global growth ambitions.
Since 1996, Convatec’s Deeside site in North Wales has served as a key R&D and manufacturing centre. Manchester was selected for its vibrant life sciences ecosystem, including leading universities, hospitals, and research institutions.
The new hub will employ around 200 highly skilled workers, mainly transferring from the Deeside R&D site, with further expansion expected. The Deeside manufacturing site will remain central to Convatec’s global operations, retaining about 400 employees after the transition in 2027.
The Manchester hub is expected to be operational by 2027, with a phased transition ensuring minimal disruption and close collaboration with Convatec’s wider network of Technology & Innovation Centres.
Convatec’s U.K. plans, subject to government support, reflect its confidence in the nation’s role as a global life sciences hub and its ambition to deliver cutting-edge healthcare solutions.
Bruntwood SciTech, a joint venture between Bruntwood, Legal & General, and the Greater Manchester Pension Fund, is creating a network of U.K. innovation ecosystems. Its Citylabs 4.0, a £42 million, 125,000-square-foot health innovation campus at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, will host leading medtech, digital health, and genomics firms. Convatec’s hub will align with this ecosystem, fostering collaboration and access to talent, funding, and clinical partnerships.
Convatec is a global medical products and technologies company with leading positions in chronic care solutions. With over 10,000 employees across 90 countries, its innovations improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. Convatec is listed on the FTSE 100 Index, with 2024 revenues exceeding $2 billion.
Convatec’s £500 million investment marks a major milestone for the U.K.’s life sciences sector, strengthening Manchester’s role as a hub for innovation and advancing patient care through next-generation medical technologies.
