BAT has opened a new facility in Southampton dedicated to accelerating the development of its smokeless products and building its capabilities beyond nicotine.
The new Innovation Centre brings together 400 engineers and scientists, working across nine technical spaces and labs, to support the tobacco giant’s ambition of becoming a predominantly smokeless business by 2035.
BAT noted that the £30m facility will strengthen its capabilities for device prototyping and the development of consumables. The investment will also support the improvement of its product packaging and the development of wellbeing and stimulation products.
Over the past decade, BAT has built three brands of smokeless products: Vuse (vapour products), glo (tobacco heating products) and Velo (nicotine pouches). These products do not involve the combustion of tobacco.
BAT stated that consumer choice is driving its transformation, with smokers more likely to switch to a product that delivers comparable satisfaction. This is why it is investing £300m a year in the development of smokeless products.
Dr James Murphy, Director, Research and Science 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. The investment in our Innovation Centre will support the cutting-edge research and product development efforts of our global R&D team for many years to come.”
