Howorth joins team building £20m pharma manufacturing centre in South Devon

Published: 10-Jan-2014

Takes responsibility for the provision of graded cleanrooms, sterile areas, a dispensary and specialist HVAC

Howorth Air Technology is part of a project to build South Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s new £20m Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Centre (PMU) near Paignton in the UK.

Howorth’s pharmaceutical division is working within the integrated team for Cowlin Construction (part of Balfour Beatty) erecting the new pharmaceutical centre, which will feature world-class design and equipment. The PMU is scheduled for completion late in 2014 and will be used to manufacture medicines for the NHS and hospitals overseas.

The two-storey building will provide 78,000 sq ft (around 7,300m2) of space split between production, warehouse and office use, and will incorporate high quality materials.

It has been designed to be sustainable and is aiming for a BREEAM rating of Very Good.

When fully operational the PMU is expected to create up to 70 new jobs taking the current workforce from 90 to about 160.

Howorth is responsible for the provision of more than 2,000m2 of specialised manufacturing facilities within the PMU, including graded cleanrooms, sterile areas, a dispensary, specialist HVAC, process equipment design, installation and validation. This multi-million pound internal fit-out project includes specialist water treatment, licensed production and the management of a substantial additional budget for new equipment.

The project includes new process equipment, the relocation of existing equipment, and the consolidation of three operational locations including the Quality Control Group.

Howorth has been working on the front end of the project for more than two years, and has been an integral member of the design team alongside Lacey Hickie Caley (LHC Architects), Hoare Lea and NG Bailey.

Nicholas Frampton, Managing Director of the PMU, says: 'This is an exciting and ambitious development to create a centre of excellence committed to supplying and investing in the development of essential pharmaceuticals throughout the UK and internationally, with any operating surplus being re-invested back into our local NHS and patient care.'

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