8:40am Thursday 9th September 2010
By Chris Holland
Production of human pharmaceuticals at a Skipton factory is being stepped up – with further growth on the cards if the operation gets approval from the Food and Drugs Administration in the United States.
Dales Pharmaceuticals, which employs 206 people, manufactures own branded products for its parent company, the international veterinary and pharmaceutical business Dechra Pharmaceuticals group. It also earns 50 per cent of revenues from making products for third party customers.
The plant is awaiting an inspection by FDA officials which bosses hope will pave the way to producing products for American customers. The Dales plant is Dechra’s only significant source of revenue not derived from the veterinary market.
Over the past year Dales increased production of Dechra licensed products by 11 per cent from contract manufacturing and won more than £800,000 of new contract business.
Production of the drug Fuciderm, which was previously outsourced has been, has been fully integrated into Dales on a new high-speed production line.
Plans are also being made to transfer production of Canaural to Skipton.
Both these products were previously made by a company which Dechra acquired in 2008.
Extra production capacity will not necessarily lead to more jobs as lean manufacturing techniques have been introduced.
The Dales management has also taken control of Dechra’s Danish manufacturing operation and implemented a new manufacturing IT system to enable better production control and improve management information.
Dechra reported a 5.5 per cent rise in annual group revenues to £369.4 million while adjusted operating profit increased by 13 per cent to £28.2 million in the year to June 30.
Chairman Michael Redmond, chairman, said: “I am pleased to report the group has continued to deliver against its clear strategy and has performed solidly with increases in revenue and profitability.”
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