A Year of Remarkable Growth and Achievements
As 2023 draws to a close, we are thrilled to share some monumental milestones and exciting developments that have defined this year for us.
Trent Gateway: Setting The Standards
Undoubtedly, the highlight of this year has been the inauguration of our state-of-the-art Trent Gateway headquarters in Nottingham, UK. Spanning 50,000 sq ft, this purpose and quality-designed facility marks a ten-fold increase in our operational capacity.
Trent Gateway empowers us to undertake new projects, including the handling of highly potent molecules, and providing end-to-end services from early feasibility to niche commercial manufacturing.
Achieving this feat within just 10 months since breaking ground in January 2023 reflects a significant leap forward for our business.
Expanding Horizons: Growth in Staff and Capacities
In tandem with our business growth, our team has expanded remarkably. Since January 2023, our employee count has surged, increasing 48%, welcoming new talent with profound industry experience across departments including manufacturing, quality, research & development, HR, sales, and marketing.
This growth enables us to bolster our expertise further and diversify our capabilities. Moreover, our investment in industry-leading technologies and equipment has matched our expertise.
Trent Gateway adheres to the latest quality standards, significantly enhancing our ability to handle and process highly potent molecules. Notably, our advancements in dosage form development and manufacturing, alongside analytical capabilities, have been substantial.
Dosage Form Development and Manufacturing
We’ve focused on scaling up our operations, investing significantly in equipment such as:
- Static Post Lift Blender – GEA PLB700 Post Hoist and Blender system
- Gerteis Mini-Pactor 250/25/3 Roller Compactor
- KG Pharma Futorque X1 Compressing machines
- IMA Vanasi 40 Encapsulation machine
- O’Hara Labcoat M50
This investment boosts our capacity to over 1,000,000 tablets/capsules a day.
Analytical Capabilities
Enhancing our analytical capabilities, we’ve added equipment for:
- X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD)
- Gas Chromatography (GC)
- Tensile strength testing
- Rapid stability profiling with ASAP prime
Recognitions and Accolades
Our growth hasn’t gone unnoticed, and we are honoured to have received several awards this year, including the prestigious Kings Award for Enterprise for our outstanding export growth. Additionally, we were thrilled to accept the MediLink Export Award and the BVCA Leaders Driving Growth awards, alongside our CEO Nikki Whitfield being recognised at the CEO Today Global Awards.
Engagement and Outreach
We’ve actively participated in numerous conferences and events this year, engaging with industry professionals at CPHI World in Barcelona, collaborating with local Universities for educational events, and hosting a series of science exhibitions for primary school children.
Outlook for 2024: A Silver Jubilee and Continued Expansion
As we anticipate our Silver Jubilee in 2024, Upperton stands at the brink of further expansion. The official opening of the new facility in March, along with MHRA accreditation for Trent Gateway, promises new process trains for our customers. These include the installation of two additional Niro Mobile Minor spray dryers, effectively tripling our spray drying capacity.
The momentum of expansion continues, and we eagerly look forward to unveiling further exciting news about our footprint expansion and new service offerings in the first quarter of 2024.
