The concept of a research lab covering the Plessey company's interests in materials germinated in 1934 when its founders Allen George Clark and William O. Heyne were in charge.

[4] Another leading member of staff at this time was Geoffrey Gaut, who joined the Plessey company from Oxford University where he was awarded a degree in chemistry.

However, to his chagrin, his commission was cancelled through the influence of Allen Clark who believed that Gaut would have a special role to play in the war effort to develop electronics and radar.

With bombing in the Ilford area in 1940, Gaut was told to relocate his laboratory in a quieter country environment where research could proceed undisturbed.

Caswell technologists also developed the first multilayer ceramic capacitor and a host of other inventions that enabled many of the electronic products we rely on today – including mobile phones, satellite TV and WiFi.

[11] The site has an area of 22 acres (8.9 ha) with 170,000 sq ft (16,000 m2) mixed-used office, manufacturing and laboratory space, with 160 people working for 10 companies at the time of opening.