Shell U.K. Ltd. plans a 70 million ($105 million) expansion at Thornton Research Centre in Cheshire, U.K., the company's main site for research and development in gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, and lubricants.
Building work is expected to begin this summer on a building designed to house five laboratory wings. The whole site is to be refurbished during 7 years.
The first new laboratory is expected to be open by yearend 1995, when environmental and additives personnel will be moved after closure of a laboratory at Sittingbourne, Kent.
Thornton currently has about 600 employees working in four main areas: fuels and lubricants technology, combustion science, hazard analysis, and environmental science.
The Thornton center was established in 1940 on land adjoining Shell's Stanlow refinery. Early research programs were driven by the World War II effort.
Thornton projects through the years include resolution of fuel line vapor lock problems on the Spitfire fighter aircraft and cooperation with Frank Whittle in development of the jet engine.
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