Business

Almac secure planning approval for new £40 million manufacturing facility

Almac's headquarters in Craigavon.
Almac's headquarters in Craigavon. Almac's headquarters in Craigavon.

PHARMACEUTICALS giant Almac has secured planning permission for its new manufacturing building as part of a £40 million investment at its Craigavon headquarters.

The company launched the bid for a new 100,000 sq ft facility last summer to support the expansion of its manufacturing facilities at its Seagoe Industrial Estate campus, creating 125 new jobs.

The application, which was officially approved last week, comes during a period of phenomenal growth for the drug specialist.

In November 2021, Almac announced plans to create 1,800 jobs over the next three years, with around 1,000 of the roles planned for Northern Ireland.

The latest proposal for its expansive Craigavon campus will see the pharma group demolish a warehouse to make way for the new manufacturing building, which will be split between office and production staff.

A report prepared by planning officials at Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, has revealed the significant investment involved in the project.

“This building will result in a financial investment of approximately £40m,” states the report.

“It is projected that the company will grow by and employ an additional 125 staff, which will have demonstrable positive economic benefits for the area.”

Almac currently employs more than 6,200 people across 19 sites worldwide.

Around 4,000 staff are based in Northern Ireland, with the group recently opening a new base in Derry city.

One of the north’s most profitable companies, Almac last year declared a 33 per cent jump in pre-tax profits to £63.5 million for the year ending September 2020.

The pharma group said it has been instrumental in providing support to “crucial” research projects for Covid-19 vaccines and treatments through a range of service areas.