MORE than 160 new jobs could be created in York following the £1million expansion of a major US company's European HQ in the city.

ACM Global Laboratories, a medical diagnostic testing company, has added a second specialised building to its laboratory block in Hospital Fields Road.

The extension which will be formally opened on Thursday is designed to meet growing demand for its clinical trials testing services throughout Europe, as well as South Africa and the Middle East.

The 15,000 sq ft investment, worth nearly £1 million, is expected to support the growth of the firm where staff numbers have increased from just under 100 to 166 in the last 16 months.

Management believe that figure should double over the next five years, to cope with York’s nearly three million diagnostic tests each year.

These span most clinical diagnostic disciplines involving human subjects, including core safety diagnostics, pathology, microbiology, flow cytometry and pharmacogenomics.

The jobs generated will be high spec and include laboratory scientists, life sciences project managers, quality assurance professionals and data managers.

The announcement follows the British government's trigger of Brexit negotiations with the European Union and speculation about whether foreign investment in the UK will suffer.

But Jerry Boxall, managing director for ACM Global’s Europe and Asia operation in York, said: “The prospect of Brexit does potentially introduce some uncertainty but we are not unduly concerned and we are committed to our European laboratory HQ in York.

“We operate in a global business environment and our clients and investigator sites are spread around the world.”

He said more than 55 per cent of his laboratory’s outgoing and incoming shipments were from countries outside the EU “and we are well prepared to deal with any changes that may occur as a result of Brexit negotiations".

“York has a very strong reputation in science and this is helpful to us in being able to source high calibre talent for our team. We feel we are an important part of the science community in York and intend to remain so long into the future.”

The significant investment includes fit-out costs plus a lease over ten years – highlighting the extent of the company’s commitment.

ACM Global’s parent company is the $2 billion group, Rochester Regional Health based in New York State.

The European laboratories opened in York in 1999 at Aviator Court, Clifton Moor. Four years ago it moved to dedicated premises twice the size in Hospital Fields Road.