Rhodia to consolidate PDS in US
Rhodia Pharma Solutions will consolidate its North American pharmaceutical development services operations at DuPont's Chambers Works site, located in Salem County, NJ. This move will enable Rhodia to supply pre-clinical, clinical trial materials and launch volumes of APIs and intermediates from one facility.
The cGMP compliant site, which has been leased from DuPont for an initial 10 year period, was formerly operated by DuPont Merck Pharmaceuticals, and includes 11 synthetic laboratories, four analytical laboratories, four kilo laboratories, and 17 reactors, ranging from 30 to 750 gallons each, in six suites. The 101,000ft2 purpose-built facility will also enable Rhodia to offer full organic synthesis capability, including cryogenics, phosgenation, and hydrogenation.
Speaking at the CPhI show in Frankfurt, Nick Green, president of Rhodia Pharma Solutions, said: 'Development services is a strategic business for Rhodia and by consolidating our operations in a single, larger US facility, we are positioning ourselves for long-term growth with an enhanced cost structure.
'The Chambers Works site will increase our capacity to provide early-phase process chemistry services, for which we continue to see a growth in demand. It also will allow us to extend our line of services to pharma customers, and links effectively with our custom manufacturing services.'
Operations are due to begin early next year. Around 70 people will be employed initially, with the number rising to about 125 as capacity is utilised.
The company intends to transfer all 45 employees from its Malvern, PA, development services operations to the Chambers Works site by early 2004. It recently closed its Boston, MA, development services operation, which employed 30 people; approximately one-third of the former Boston employees will transfer to the Chambers Works site.