UK: BAT opens innovation centre in Southampton

Multinational tobacco and nicotine products manufacturer British American Tobacco (BAT) has announced the opening of a £30 million ($38 million) “state-of-the-art” innovation centre in Southampton, on the UK’s south coast, to accelerate development of smokeless products.

In a press release, the firm said it was committed to investing £300 million ($384 million) yearly in the development of new non-combustible products with a view to becoming a “smokeless” business by 2035.

The new centre will employ 400 highly-specialised engineers and scientists, working in nine technical spaces and labs.

Last year, the company also announced the opening of an innovation hub in Trieste, Italy focusing on “new category” products.

Commenting on the move, James Murphy, research and science director at BAT, said: “The opening of this new facility marks an important milestone in BAT’s transformation and will play a key role in making a smokeless future a reality. Evidence provided by objective world-class science is essential to facilitate the migration of adult smokers to smokeless products and support public health objectives”.

BAT currently has a three-strong portfolio of global “smokeless” brands: Vuse vapour products, Glo tobacco heating products and Velo nicotine pouches.

Source: BAT