Element Six to Build Synthetic Diamond Innovation Center

Element Six will begin construction of the world’s largest synthetic diamond supermaterials research and development facility in Harwell Oxford, just 20 minutes from Oxford, England, Rapaport reported. This new $32 million (GBP 20 million) facility will consolidate Element Six’s global innovation team into one integrated space, where it will develop a pipeline of products for customers in industries from oil and gas drilling to machining and electronics.
Once complete in spring 2013, this new innovation center will reinforce Element Six’s position as a world-leader in synthetic diamond research and employ more than 100 engineers, scientists and technicians, according to the firm. In addition, 50 new material science jobs will be created, with the vast majority of those positions made available for highly-qualified graduate scientists, engineers and physicists. 
Element Six, which is co-owned by the De Beers Group and Umicore, applies the extreme properties of synthetic diamond supermaterials within abrasive applications and for a diverse range of advanced technologies.
The Harwell Oxford location was chosen by Element Six, through support from U.K. Trade & Investment, due to its proximity of emerging technological talent and excellent global connectivity. Harwell Oxford is owned and managed by a public-private sector joint-venture to foster innovation and business in science and technology. There are more than 4,500 people involved in this community, working in some 150 organizations including key U.K. Research Councils, start-ups and multi-national organizations.
Element Six's chief executive, Cyrus Jilla, said, ''I am positive [the center] will deliver higher performance products for our customers, disruptive technologies for new applications and markets, inspire and spur new related businesses in the U.K., and provide an extremely rewarding environment for our scientists who are at the forefront of their field.''