Catalent wields axe at UK plant
pharmafile | November 20, 2012 | News story | Manufacturing and Production |Â Â CTS, Catalent, SwindonÂ
Around 45 staff at Catalent’s pharmaceutical facility in Swindon, UK, are to lose their jobs because of fluctuating demand for some of the technologies and services it offers.
The Swindon unit employs around 500 workers and focuses on manufacturing products made using Catalent’s Zydis fast-dissolving tablet technology as well as chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) analytical services.
The 45 people set to lose their jobs are all permanent staff, with the losses coming on top of the termination of temporary and flexible contracts, according to the company.
The cutbacks have been announced despite a recent round of investment at the plant. Earlier this year, Catalent said it had completed construction of new development and analytical laboratories at the Swindon facility, including a suite dedicated to the storage and testing of controlled and cytotoxic substances.
Catalent has been undertaking a major revamp of its business structure in recent months, exiting non-core operations such as commercial packaging and acquiring businesses, namely softgel capsule specialist R P Scherer and the clinical trial supply (CTS) business of contract research organisation Aptuit.
Meanwhile, Catalent has been directing its attentions to other plants in its network of late, particularly its 221,000 sq. ft. controlled-release dosage form facility in Schorndorf, Germany, which has just been through a major refitting programme.
In the company’s most recent quarterly results chief financial officer Matthew Walsh said that organic growth in revenues was flat compared to the same period of 2011, and while growth in softgels was meeting expectations the company’s drug delivery operations were experiencing ‘product demand fluctuations’.
Oral technologies saw revenues decline around 9% in the three months ended 30 September to $260 million, said Walsh, out of total group turnover of $412 million.
Phil Taylor
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