INDUSTRY NEWS
A supplier of contract sterilization services has announced the expansion of its Somercotes, UK, EtO processing capabilities by 40%. Pressing forward with its 2005 goal to expand overall capacity by 50% in the next three years, Sterigenics International (Leuven, Belgium) will add 6200 sq ft to the British facility.
The expansion of the Somercotes facility stems from an increased demand for sterilization services in addition to projected market growth. Demand partially can be attributed to the UK’s National Health Service shift from the use of in-house to outsourced custom kits for surgical procedures, according to Sterigenics marketing director Ron Peacock.
The expansion includes the addition of a sixth 32-pallet sterilizer to the facility, as well as the extension of pretreatment and aeration capacity. The growth, coupled with a reorganization of the existing warehouse, will enable increased storage capacity, as well. Moreover, the warehouse will benefit from more truck loading and unloading docks, according to Peacock.
The enhancement of the UK branch is just one aspect of a larger expansionist policy. “Before the takeover of Sterigenics by PPM Venture Capital in mid-2004, the company had made no major investment in EtO sterilization for three years,” says Peacock. “During this time, spare capacity had been taken up through market growth. So, the company is now in the process of catching up, adding capacity to meet the 5–7% annual growth in sterile products and the new demand created from greater use of custom kits.”
As a result of the company’s development goal, the past year has been characterized by global expansion, as well. The firm opened an EtO processing facility in Wiesbaden, Germany, and an E-beam facility in Shanghai. Sterigenics has scheduled an 80% expansion of the Anse, France, facility for 2006 and will unveil an x-ray sterilization facility in Belgium in 2008. Completion of the UK expansion is slated for September 2006.
For additional information, contact Sterigenics International, Remylaan 4c bus 4, 3018 Leuven, Belgium; phone: +32 16 525220; Internet: www.sterigenics.com.
