Rhodia Pharma Solutions opens UK plant extension

Rhodia Pharma Solutions has completed a new extension to its production operation in Dudley in the UK.

The extension, which received a regional assistance grant from the UK's Department of Trade & Industry, strengthens Rhodia's ability to provide custom manufacturing services to pharmaceutical companies.

The Dudley facility is a large-scale general purpose cGMP active pharmaceutical ingredients and intermediates manufacturing operation. The upgrade to the site includes a new chemical reactor stream that brings more flexibility to the plant and allows the introduction of new products at minimal cost; two new pharmaceutical product isolation facilities; and improvements to gas emission technology to ensure compliance with regulations.

Along with the consolidation of Rhodia's North American pharmaceutical development services operations at DuPont's Chambers Works site in Salem County, New Jersey, the Dudley extension under-scores the company's commitment to strengthening its pharmaceutical market operations.

'These strategic actions enable us to provide a world-class base for both custom manufacturing and development services,' said Nick Green, president of Rhodia Pharma Solutions. 'Outsourcing remains a valid business model. Although some consolidation of pharmaceutical companies and the lower number of new chemical entities compared to the late 1990s have resulted in more unused capacity, we believe that companies like Rhodia remain in a good position to address the unmet needs of the market.'