The project, which will see Avantor integrate its existing distribution facility with new manufacturing operations, is expected to be fully operational early next year. It will provide a range of services, including quality control and inventory management expertise, and feature cGMP manufacturing suites and testing laboratories for process ingredients and excipients.

"The Singapore manufacturing and distribution Hub will enable Avantor to better serve the fast-growing Asia-Pacific biopharma market by facilitating shorter lead times, enhancing supply chain security and increasing capacity in the region," said Christophe Couturier, executive vice president, Asia, Middle East and Africa.

The Radnor, Pennsylvania-based company is also building a new distribution center in Ireland, which is expected to open later this year. Avantor said this facility – its second in Dublin – will help expedite access to essential production materials for biopharmaceutical manufacturers in Ireland.

"Our new Dublin distribution center places essential content closer to our customers," said executive vice president, global supply chain operations, Sheri Lewis. "The facility is the latest in a series of capital investments we have made to increase capacity and capabilities. By supporting our customers in virtually every stage of research, scale-up and manufacturing we continue to grow as a trusted biopharma partner to keep breakthrough science moving forward."

The center will include capabilities such as warehousing of cGMP certified products, batch-to-batch traceability and customized palletization. On-site clean rooms will also enable customers to conduct raw material sampling to expedite quality inspection and material receipt.

Avantor made several other investments last year to strengthen its global biopharma supply chain. These included a new logistics hub in Westminster, Massachusetts and a single-use solutions facility in Hillegom, the Netherlands, along with the completion of major capacity expansions for critical process ingredients, excipients and single-use clean rooms at multiple sites across Europe and the US.

Additional capabilities and capacities were also tacked o in 2021 through the acquisitions of Germany’s Ritter, China’s RIM Bio and the US’s Masterflex.

Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist