WILMINGTON, Del. – Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH) today announced plans to expand its pharmaceutical research and development Center of Excellence at the Ashland Research Center in Wilmington. Ashland will be expanding its existing capabilities to include formulation development and Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP) contract manufacturing services for solid dispersions and oral solid dosages. To support early-stage clinical trials, the expansion will include spray drying and extrusion processes previously located in Columbia, Md. Approximately 20 positions will be relocated from Columbia to Wilmington in connection with the expansion.
The company expects the new facility to be operational by summer 2014, reinforcing Ashland’s leading position in solubilization technologies and enabling the company to further support the evolving needs of its pharmaceutical customers. As a global leader, Ashland currently has pharmaceutical technology centers in Buenos Aires, Argentina; São Paulo, Brazil; Shanghai, China; Düsseldorf, Germany; Hyderabad, India; Istanbul, Turkey; and Mexico City, Mexico, in addition to Wilmington.
“This relocation and expansion supports Ashland’s commitment to ongoing investment in drug solubilization to help our customers capitalize on future growth opportunities,” said John Panichella, president, Ashland Specialty Ingredients. “Delaware’s recent decision to provide incentives to encourage Ashland’s growth demonstrates the state’s positive outlook and its commitment to business expansion in Delaware. I am extremely excited about the growth opportunities for our pharmaceutical product line and recognize that the state’s actions were integral to our decision.”
“This expansion highlights our ability to provide high-value ingredients backed with superior technical support," added May Shana’a, vice president, Technology and Growth Strategy, Ashland Specialty Ingredients. “This Center of Excellence, combined with our multiple technical support labs around the world, will enable Ashland to deepen our relationship with customers and allow us to quickly solve customer problems.”
Ashland Specialty Ingredients offers industry-leading products, technologies and resources for solving formulation and product performance challenges in key markets including personal care, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, coatings and energy. Using natural, synthetic and semi-synthetic polymers derived from plant and seed extract, cellulose ethers and vinyl pyrrolidones, Ashland Specialty Ingredients offers comprehensive and innovative solutions for today's demanding consumer and industrial applications.
In more than 100 countries, the people of Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH) provide the specialty chemicals, technologies and insights to help customers create new and improved products for today and sustainable solutions for tomorrow. Our chemistry is at work every day in a wide variety of markets and applications, including architectural coatings, automotive, construction, energy, food and beverage, personal care, pharmaceutical, tissue and towel, and water treatment. Visit ashland.com to see the innovations we offer through our four commercial units – Ashland Specialty Ingredients, Ashland Water Technologies, Ashland Performance Materials and Ashland Consumer Markets.
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Media Relations
Richard Ruberti
+1 (302) 594-6850
rrruberti@ashland.com