The health unit of speciality chemicals manufacturer Croda Chemicals Europe is to expand lipid production in the UK, following increased market demand for high purity, high potency lipids in nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals, it said this week.
The planned development will take place at the company's Leek site in Staffordshire, UK over the next 12-18 months and will double manufacturing capacity. Croda said extensive investment in purpose-built pharmaceutical facilities has already taken place at this site - it has recently commissioned a GMP API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) Super Critical CO2 plant to produce lipids with greater than 95 per cent purity.
"We have seen strong growth in global demand for our marine and plant lipid concentrates, particularly omega-3 & 6 PUFAs for dietary supplements. There is great interest in our condition-specific products, such as the Incromega 500 series, which are supported by clinical data," said Dr Keith Layden, managing director of healthcare and personal care unit at Croda.
Croda Chemicals Europe had sales of £261million (€400m) in 2001, and recorded a trading profit of £37.7 million. Over the past decade sales have grown at an annual compound rate of 7.5 per cent, according to the firm.