Takeda invests in Hikari plant

Takeda Chemical Industries, of Osaka in Japan, is to invest approximately ¥15bn (Euro 119m) in production facilities at its plant in Hikari City in preparation for the transfer of Takeda's production of ethical products from the Shonan plant in Fujisawa City, which will be closed at the end of March 2006.

Following the transfer, the Hikari plant will become the main production centre of the Takeda group, with facilities covering the whole pharmaceutical production processes from bulk raw materials to the finished dosage forms.

Production of consumer healthcare products currently undertaken at the Shonan plant will be transferred to Takeda Healthcare Products Co. in Fukuchiyama City, Kyoto.

In 1997 Takeda established a manufacturing company in Ireland (Takeda Ireland Limited), which produces finished dosage forms of candesartan, lansoprazole and pioglitazone using the active ingredients made at the Hikari plant.

A further manufacturing plant is under construction in Ireland asan independent company, Takeda Pharma Ireland Limited, that is planned to start operation in October 2004 to manufacture the active ingredients of pioglitazone and other products for clinical development.

Takeda is establishing an optimal global production system that will enable it to provide high quality products at competitive cost, as its pharmaceutical business is expanding worldwide. The company's strategy is to rationalise domestic production, enhance overseas manufacturing and expand utilisation of toll-manufacturers, while retaining production that requires Takeda's own technology.

The proportion of Takeda's production carried out by toll-manufacturers and Takeda overseas manufacturing plants is expected to increase from its current 50% to around 70% in fiscal 2005.