Ashland to expand capabilities at Delaware Centre of Excellence
Will relocate spray drying and extrusion processes from Maryland to Delaware
Ashland Inc plans to expand its pharmaceutical research and development Centre of Excellence at the Ashland Research Centre in Wilmington, Delaware, US to strengthen its relationship with customers.
Ashland will expand its capabilities to include formulation development and Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP) contract manufacturing services for solid dispersions and oral solid dosages. To support early-stage clinical trials, the expansion will include spray drying and extrusion processes previously located in Columbia, Maryland. Approximately 20 jobs will be relocated from Columbia to Wilmington in connection with the expansion.
The company expects the new facility to be operational by summer 2014, reinforcing its leading position in solubilisation technologies and enabling the company to further support the evolving needs of its pharmaceutical customers.
Ashland currently has pharmaceutical technology centres in Buenos Aires, Argentina; São Paulo, Brazil; Shanghai, China; Düsseldorf, Germany; Hyderabad, India; Istanbul, Turkey; and Mexico City, Mexico, in addition to Wilmington.
‘This relocation and expansion supports Ashland’s commitment to ongoing investment in drug solubilisation to help our customers capitalise on future growth opportunities,’ said John Panichella, President, Ashland Specialty Ingredients. ‘Delaware’s recent decision to provide incentives to encourage Ashland’s growth demonstrates the state’s positive outlook and its commitment to business expansion in Delaware. I am extremely excited about the growth opportunities for our pharmaceutical product line and recognise that the state’s actions were integral to our decision.’
Ashland Speciality Ingredients was formed in 2011 following the US$3.2bn acquisition of privately owned International Speciality Products (ISP). ISP was integrated into the Ashland Aqualon Functional Ingredients commercial unit, which more than doubled the size of Ashland’s highest margin business. The combined unit was renamed Ashland Specialty Ingredients.