Allied to Invest in Seelze Facility As Part of Pharma Development Plan

16 March 1998 00:00  [Source: ICB Americas]

Continuing its push to be a major supplier to the pharmaceutical industry, AlliedSignal Inc.'s specialty chemicals business is expanding the cGMP development capability of its pharmaceutical intermediates facility in Seelze, Germany.

The multi-million dollar expansion, set for completion in September, will enhance the company's ability to accelerate product development and to handle new projects for both new and existing pharmaceutical customers, says specialty chemicals president Paul Norris.

"The additional capacity will also give us more flexibility in applying our breadth of expertise in areas such as bromination, fluorination, oximation and other technologies," he says.

Allied acquired the Seelze site in early 1996 as part of its acquisition of Hoechst's Riedel-de Haen specialties unit. Shortly thereafter it formed its own specialty chemicals division, one of whose mandates was to expand in the pharmaceutical intermediates sector.

Allied furthered this plan in August of last year when it acquired Iropharm Ltd., a maker of pharma intermediates and active ingredients in Arklow, Ireland. Other sites where pharma work is carried out within Allied are Buffalo, N.Y., and the Des Plaines, Ill., headquarters of its UOP joint venture.

Allied says its fine chemical sales were more than $100 million last year, up 15 percent from 1996. Further, it expects new products to account for 20 percent of its revenues this year.

"A growing number of both large and small pharmaceutical producers are coming to us for our new product development expertise," Mr. Norris says. "The Seelze expansion helps to ensure we have the capacity necessary to meet this growing demand."

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