News

  April 21, 2009

Excelsyn Win Queen's Award for Enterprise (Note: Excelsyn was acquired by AMRI in February 2010)

Pharma and biotech manufacturing services group Excelsyn has won the Queen's Award for Enterprise 2009. The Award, in the International Trade category, recognizes a near-trebling of the company's export earnings, with overseas business now accounting for 82% of sales.

Excelsyn's North East Wales facility at Holywell makes pharmaceutical ingredients and advanced intermediates - and provides process chemical development and manufacturing services for both the global health and personal care industry sectors.

The company – which specialises in drug substance process research, development,, scale up and manufacturing for clinical trial and commercial applications - reported sales of US $28m. for its financial 2007/08, over 40% ahead of the prior year. It is on track for further growth in FY 2008/09, ending in May.

The company has broadened its customer base from 14 to almost 80 in little more than four years. Repeat business has grown to 75% and employee numbers at the Holywell site have increased from under 60 to nearly 90.

Major customers across Asia, Europe and North America include the majority of the world's leading big pharma companies, while it has collaborations and partnerships in the expanding markets of China and India.

Excelsyn President and CEO Ian Shott commented: “ We're delighted with this recognition of Excelsyn's contribution to UK success in high-value technology exports.

“With its niche technologies and a highly flexible approach to customer needs, the company has been able to build on growth in demand for both development and manufacturing services by major global players in the pharma and biotech sectors.

“The Queen's Award is also a pleasing spotlight on process innovation in North Wales, where we especially value our relationship with Bangor University ”.

The company is part way through a US $6m. new investment programme at its Holywell,  facility. Major enhancements for completion by end-2010 include a new API finishing suite, reactor train alignment and increased product isolation capacity.

Capabilities have been strengthened in recent months by addition of Fauske adiabetic and TSU calorimetry equipment – enabling Excelsyn to conduct stability testing in-house. It has also added laboratory hydrogenation capability with a bench scale 120 bar autoclave and a 3-litre, 5 bar autoclave.

The Excelsyn success story in North Wales began with acquisition of the former Great Lakes Chemicals pharma intermediates production site near Mostyn, by Ian Shott, in mid-2004.

Excelsyn is no stranger to awards. In 2007 the company was named as the International Business Wales Welsh Exporter of the Year. The annual Awards are jointly sponsored by the North Wales Daily Post, HSBC Bank and the Welsh Assembly Government.

Ian Shott was named by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) as Chemistry World Entrepreneur of the Year, 2006.