Both acquisitions provided UCB Celltech with new business areas and new research facilities. And the enlarged group now employs 2,000 people world-wide located in Cambridge, England, Rochester in New York State and in Seattle,Washington.
Rationalising some of the locations group businesses occupied after the integration, it was important for the company to establish a strong central location as Peter Allen, UCB Celltech's finance director, explains.
"We found once we had integrated the businesses fully that we could close Medeva's head office and sublet all the property. We brought the people we needed to Slough but at the same time found we had outgrown our existing offices."
UCB Celltech decided to establish new corporate offices at 208 Bath Road Slough while retaining its existing research facilities at 216 Bath Road. The result has been a positive one for the business.
"208 is very modern office space," says Allen. "As a biotechnology company we are at the cutting edge of science. This is a building that reflects that. It's a fine building, very state of art. It has a nice light airy feel with an atrium that pours light into the working areas. It's been a good place for us to set up in."
"We would much rather be in this building than a previously occupied one," Allen continues. "It's been very effective in being the final integrating factor for the businesses. When you bring people working apart from each other into such a building that helps cement relationships and gives the feeling that you are all working for the same operation. Here the building was new to all of our staff."
Meanwhile just along the street number 216 remains a key research facility for the Group. There are offices at the front of the building while at the back is a large three storey high shell. Inside this the Company has created two storeys of laboratories together with handling equipment that has proved very effective in meeting the specifications demanded by the company's research activities.
"We fitted out the building with air handling equipment for air conditioning and extraction of fumes which is a vital feature of such a work environment... We have a variety of different laboratories that have different specific needs although it is in fact quite an integrated facility... The purpose of the office space is to provide write up areas for our 200 or so highly qualified people. They do their bench work in the laboratories themselves and then write up in the front office area."
Together UCB Celltech's two buildings at 208 and 216 Bath Road, Slough are a vital hub for the Group. While the new headquarters provides focus, leadership and the appropriate working environment for a global biotechnology business it is never far away from the company's core competence - researching at the frontiers of knowledge.
These buildings reflect and enhance the forward looking, state of the art ethos of UCB Celltech and therefore make a significant statement about its culture of growth, change and cutting edge science.