$40m facility for CSS officially opened
Senator George Mitchell, chairman of the independent commission on decommissioning in Northern Ireland, officially opened Almac House in Craigavon - the new headquarters of CSS (Chemical Synthesis Services).
Senator George Mitchell, chairman of the independent commission on decommissioning in Northern Ireland, officially opened Almac House in Craigavon - the new headquarters of CSS (Chemical Synthesis Services).
A capital investment of £25m (US$40m) in the 88,000ft2 state-of-the-art facility for innovative sciences makes CSS Ireland's largest chemistry service provider and strengthens the company's position as a leading global provider of chemistry services.
The investment will have a positive effect on employment, with an additional 200 jobs being created over the next three to five years.
At the official opening, which was attended by international customers, local dignitaries, and CSS staff, owner and founder Dr Allen McClay, said: 'CSS is an important link in the chain of services our companies provide for pharmaceutical, biotech and virtual companies worldwide. In the provision of these facilities it further strengthens our objective of becoming a global leader in this important sector.
'Increased job creation is one of the positive outcomes of the investment. This new facility will also enable CSS to further develop the global business opportunities that exist and to expand the services we offer in a range of new areas.'
Speaking at the opening, Ian Pearson MP, Northern Ireland Office minister for enterprise, trade and investment said: 'CSS is a dynamic and entrepreneurial company which has experienced rapid growth on the world stage in its formative years. These premises, which are on a par with the best in the world, indicate confidence in the further development of the company and send out a strong signal to the global market as to the leading edge research being carried out in Northern Ireland and the infrastructure which exists to support it.'
CSS operates on three sites in Northern Ireland. In addition to the Craigavon-based facility there is a research and development facility at Queen's University Belfast and an analytical services centre in Coleraine. CSS and its affiliated companies provide pharmaceutical services across a wide range of activities from drug discovery to process development and clinical trials. Additional operations are based in USA (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and London. CSS, CTS and ICTI were purchased from Galen Holdings plc over the past 18 months.
CSS is owned by Dr Allen McClay CBE, the founder and former Chairman of Galen Holdings plc. The company occupies a strategic position among the companies owned by Dr McClay, which also includes CTS (Clinical Trial Services) and ICTI (Interactive Clinical Technologies mc). By 2006, approximately 1,400 people will be employed by these companies.
