page_title: Ditton, Kent
section_title: Economy
hierarchical_section_title: Ditton, Kent / Economy
caption_attribution_description: English: The Ditton Laboratory
context_page_description: Ditton is a large village and civil parish in the borough of Tonbridge and Malling in Kent, England. The village is 4.6 miles west-northwest of Maidstone and 1.8 miles east of West Malling. The parish, which is long and narrow, straddles the A20, with farmland to the south and industry to the north. It lies in the Medway Valley, on the northern edge of the Kent Weald, and adjoins the ancient parishes of Larkfield, Aylesford and Barming.
context_section_description: The parish of Ditton contains a number of agricultural, small commercial and industrial businesses, marking a historical shift from a farming-based community to a modern, mixed economy.
  The Medway valley has long been associated with the newsprint industry, but in February 2015 it was confirmed that the last major paper mill in the parish, Aylesford Newsprint, was to close with the loss of 233 jobs. Ditton's connection with the industry goes back to 1922 when Reed International built the first factory on the banks of the river Medway. Reed International was a major paper manufacturer who, at its height, had in the region of 1,500 employees. The business was seriously hampered by the advent of World War II, which caused a shortage of pulp to make newspapers and led to a different material, waste paper, being used in its place. Waste paper was then replaced by recycled fibre, which was fully utilised in the process of producing newsprint. The 60-acre Newsprint plant belonged to SCA, paper manufacturers from Sweden, in partnership with Mondi, and £250 million was invested in developing the site. Aylesford Newsprint was one of the world's leading manufacturers of newsprint, recycling around 500,000 tonnes of material to produce some 400,000 tonnes of final product. Media organisations in Europe, America, and the Far East relied on the recycled newsprint from the plant for their publications. Ditton stream was a vital water supply for the processes carried out in the plant.
   At the opposite end of the parish is part of the 580 acre East Malling Research Station. This began in 1913 with 23 acres in response to a need among Kent farmers for assistance with their fruit growing activities. Since fruit was an important part of the Kent economy, the station performed a valuable role is carrying out research experiments and advising farmers on fruit production. The land that forms the research station grounds is conducive to the growing of fruit, with good water retention and drainage properties. The station was also well placed in terms of transport links since the nearby railway connected with London in one direction and the agricultural college at Wye in the other. It was an indication of the importance of the research station that the government and fruit producers were prepared to give financial support for its work. In 1938 the 360-acre Bradbourne House estate was added to the site. As a result of research work carried out on the site, the station established a reputation as a world centre for the research of perennial crops. Horticultural Research International operated the site until 2009 until 1 April 2010, since when the East Malling Trust has owned the research station. The station is fully engaged with local business and contains a lecture hall that can take 200 delegates.
  The Ditton Laboratory, a short distance from the research station, was opened in 1930 by the Empire Marketing Board as a part of Cambridge University's Low-Temperature Research Station. The purpose of the laboratory was to carry out experiments on the shipping of fruit across the high seas, in order to extend its life over long, seaborne journeys. This led to an experiment being carried out to simulate, as far as was possible, conditions on board a cargo ship, the so-called  "ship on land" experiment. One focus of research was the Cox's Orange Pippin Apple, which had the reputation of being a problematic fruit to transport over long distances. In 1969 the laboratory was incorporated into the East Malling Research Station as the fruit storage section. After the building was boarded up, a fish farm and fruit distribution business continued at its rear. It has since been demolished and replaced by a modern housing estate.
  Quarrying for ragstone is still an important local industry. Gallagher Aggregates Limited operate the Hermitage Quarry, which is situated 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) to the south of Ditton village. About 50 employees work in the quarry and another 60 on subsidiary functions. According to the firm's estimates, there is only enough ragstone l
caption: Former Ditton Laboratory on Kiln Barn Lane
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