FAMILY-owned E&O Laboratories, which manufactures microbiological culture media, is opening a multi-million-pound production facility at Cumbernauld as it targets export growth in Europe and Asia.

The multi-million-pound project at Cumbernauld has been backed by £1m of funding from Bank of Scotland and a Regional Selective Assistance grant from Scottish Enterprise.

Falkirk-based E&O said the new site, due for completion in October, would allow it to diversify its specialist product range, triple its manufacturing capacity and increase its team of 80 specialist technicians and microbiologists by 20 per cent over the next year. A spokesman noted staff would relocate from E&O’s Falkirk site.

E&O Laboratories has served the clinical, pharmaceutical, food, water and environmental sectors since 1989. The use of culture media allows these industries to carry out clinical diagnostics and microbiological testing