SOON they will be everywhere - but for now there's only one place in the world you can find a rollable computer screen - Millbrook.

It's a similar story for fuel cells, the environmentally-friendly power source of tomorrow. And for futuristic-sounding devices that can grow fragments of DNA, the building blocks of life, for cutting-edge medical research.

In fact there's a host of potentially world-shaping technological advances today being made in a suburb of Southampton more readily associated with containers, cargo and cranes.

It's just the first crop of devices from the Millbrook Technology Campus, a new base for small hi-technology companies.

The project could ultimately attract as many as 200 high-wage, high-skill jobs to the area, with typical salaries in the sector averaging £45,000.

Already four firms have signed up and a further three are in advanced negotiations for a space on the campus, which is based in vacant ground on the 16-acre NXP Semiconductors site, formerly known as Philips.

Businesses can take advantage of computer chip-maker NXP's resources, including advanced testing equipment as well as conference facilities, a gym, restaurant and common room.

Equipment available for use on site is valued at about £55m, including NXP's £1.5m microchip test centre, and the possibilities it presents are already attracting influential interest.

"This is the future of the country and it's as simple as that."

It's big praise from a big figure in business - Sir Digby Jones, former director of business lobby group the CBI.

The face of British business for years, he is today a UK skills envoy and is passionate about the contribution of projects like the MTC to the future of the economy.

Never one to mince his words, he told almost 200 people who turned out for the opening that the MTC would prove to be a crucial weapon in Britain's battle to cope with globalisation.

"This is home to some of the cleverest people this country has," he said. "If we keep doing what we used to do and carry on we will be bankrupt in ten years because the Chinese will be doing it cheaper.

"The future of the country has to be based on value-added and innovation, otherwise China and India will beat you.

"Seeing this does the cockles of my heart good, it really does," he added after unveiling a plaque to proclaim the Second Avenue facility officially open.

Already on board is Innos, a computer chip specialist founded to exploit research from Southampton University, which has made the park its headquarters and has invested £3m in developing new facilities.

They are joined by Bac2, which is developing fuel cells that generate environmentally-friendly power that is widely seen as the best alternative to petrol.

DNA-testing firm Prima Design is producing equipment that wouldn't be out of place on hit US crime show CSI Miami and also promises huge healthcare benefits.

Youth employment agency Solent SkillQuest, which employs 40 staff, is the final one of the first tranche of four organisations to move in.

Already, rollable computer screens are being produced on the site by Innos for Dutch firm Polymer Vision, who plan to use them in mobile phones.

They will be available in Italy by Christmas and will soon be a common sight across Europe.

Polymer Vision's Edward van Overbeok says Millbrook is the only place on the planet that can make the cutting-edge devices.

"This is the only one in the world. There is no one else that can do it," he said. "It is unique and they are the first."

Innos chief executive Andrew Monk said his problem was thinking of too many possible uses of his unique rollable electronic technology.

He said: "Imagine if you could put electronics on a packet of frozen peas in the same way you could put ink on a packet of frozen peas, that could tell you exactly how fresh they were.

"Imagine a credit card that could show you a display on the card of how much money you had in the bank. Imagine if you had clothes that had instructions on them that the washing machine could read and know the right temperature to wash the clothes at.

"It's possible because the technology we have here means it would be very cheap."

Gary Munro, managing director of NXP, aims for the site to buzz with ideas. "It's not just about buying space and shutting the door behind you," he said.

"I want the engineers here to be interacting. I don't want a closed set of companies, I want a vibrant technology environment. I want them to share the gym and use the restaurant and talk to one another.

"You've then got an environment where people will share and exchange and be a lot more creative - good things can come from it."