One of the largest facilities for the manufacture of specialist medicines in the NHS for patients across the UK has now been completed in West Yorkshire
The ?8 million pharmaceutical manufacturing unit at the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary's Acre Mill site was begun last year after the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust's successful bid to have the Department of Health-funded facility built in the town.
The facility includes specialised manufacturing areas and a Quality Control laboratory (constructed by Interserve of Castleford and SES of York).
At the heart of non-sterile product manufacturing area are four dust control booths with recirculatory downflow air systems designed to protect both product and operatives.
Indeed, the booths all feature optimum operator protection through controlled airflow, for which Extract Technology is recognised around the world.
Production manager John Harwood said: "The existing facility was too small and in need of major refurbishment.
"Coincidentally, we had one of the world's leading manufacturers of dust control booths right on our doorstep and this joint venture with Extract Technology proved very successful.
"The new site has the added benefit of freeing up valuable space on the infirmary site which can now be developed for clinical purposes".
The unit employs around 45 people and replaces a former facility inside Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.
The manufacturing unit has around 1000 customers in both primary care (GP practices, etc) and secondary care (hospitals, mental health trusts, etc) with more than 90 per cent of sales made to organisations outside the Trust.
All the running costs of the unit will be recovered through product sales, making it financially self-sufficient.
Mike Davies of Extract Technology was delighted that the company was able to provide the facility with dust control booths manufactured locally.
"We are used to exporting our booths all over the world and sending engineers out to facilities on all continents, so it made a pleasant change to find an installation so close to our factory.
"Our engineers were able to call in whenever necessary and this led to a close and successful working relationship with the client".
Extract Technology sees this recently completed installation as just part of the company's expanding product range for the hospital and medical facilities market.
Last year, a similar facility containing downflow containment booths was completed for University College Hospital, and plans are well under way to install four Aseptic Isolators for Airedale NHS Trust and one for the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth.
