The following Centres of Industrial Collaboration can unlock cutting edge technical expertise or the specialist resources this industry needs.

The Pharmaceutical Innovation CIC, based within the renowned Institute of Pharmaceutical Innovation at the University of Bradford, combines world-class expertise in formulation science and computational pharmaceutics, including artificial intelligence and 3D modelling technology - offering revolutionary approaches to drug development and increasing the rate at which new medicines reach the market.

With an impressive record of industrially-relevant research in particle and colloid technology, the Particle Science and Engineering CIC, based at the Universities of Leeds and Sheffield, offers one of the most comprehensive ranges of characterisation equipment in the UK and a long research record in granulation, crystallization, mixing, data mining and in-process measurement technologies. The centre is also a leading international centre for Process Analytical Technology (PAT).

Together with the Pharmaceutical Innovation CIC, these PAT centres are helping to drive the development of this technology, transforming pharmaceutical product quality and the cost-effectiveness of manufacturing. CICs are working with leading equipment suppliers and major companies to develop novel in-line analytical tools and state-of-the-art knowledge engineering software, to interpret manufacturing data and optimise processes.

The affiliated Green Chemistry Centre is helping companies to comply with legislative developments such as REACH, through the manufacture of products that reduce or replace the production of hazardous materials whilst still being commercially viable.

The chemical industry in Yorkshire and Humber also benefits from:

• The region has a strong cluster support network with two active Regional Chemical Initiatives (RCIs): Humber Chemical Focus and Yorkshire Chemical Focus. These flexible, privately run and industry led membership organisations are supported by Yorkshire Forward to provide support for businesses in their areas.

  These organisations can offer practical support to help companies make contacts and take part in networks of common interest (eg regulatory, skills), increase productivity and competitiveness, reduce costs, increase trade, and connect to major regional and national networks relevant to their industry in order to meet the challenges they face.

• An active and highly innovative programme of skills support, including the Centre for the Assessment of Technical Competence Humber (CATCH) on the Humber. This unique facility, supported by Yorkshire Forward and operated by Humber Chemical Focus, comprises a development site and full-scale mock chemical plant replicating the real-life size and complexity of equipment found in industry but operating with non-hazardous liquids and powders. Apprentices, as well as the current workforce with their companies and/or training providers, can use the safe but realistic work environment to develop the knowledge and skills needed to make them acceptable as safe contractors on a chemical site.
• An extensive range of sites is ready and waiting, many of which are pre-designated for chemical and process industry operation. These include greenfield and brownfield sites on both banks of the Humber and throughout Yorkshire.
• The Institute for Pharmaceutical Innovation (IPI) is a multi-million pound, purpose-built pharmaceutical research unit at the University of Bradford, which is exploiting leading-edge computer modelling and mathematical expertise to accelerate the time it takes to bring new drugs to market.
• The Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP) is a research centre in the Department of Biology at the University of York, whose aim is to realise the potential of plant and microbial-based renewable resources through gene discovery.