AGC Expands Production Capacity for Agrochemicals and Pharmaceuticals in Japan
AGC Wakasa Chemicals, part of Japanese group AGC, has completed a new large-scale production line at its Kaminaka Plant in Fukui prefecture, Japan, as it expects demand for agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals to grow steadily against a backdrop of population growth and improvement of living standards.
With the new production line, which was announced back in November 2021, the contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) said it will expand its production capacity for synthetic agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals to 1.5 times the current level. The new facility is scheduled to start operations in the first quarter of 2024.
The expansion at the Kaminaka plant, AGC said, will include a new large scale multi-purpose production line that, together with the existing small and medium-scale facilities, will be able to meet demand for a wide range of production volume and chemical synthesis. In addition, the facility will improve collaboration between process development and manufacturing, enabling faster process development and scale-up of synthetic agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals.
As part of its medium-term management plan AGC plus-2023, AGC has positioned its life sciences business, including its CDMO services for synthetic pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals, as one of its strategic business areas. According to AGC, the group aims for steady business expansion through acquisitions and capital investments.
