Almac is to invest £20 million in its Craigavon operations to enhance its current business campus for employees.
News of the major improvements to the company’s global headquarters in Craigavon comes on a day when the Almac Group confirmed its highest ever revenue, profit and employee numbers.
In all a £200 million global expansion plan has been announced, with 1,500 new jobs to be created – 1,000 of them in Northern Ireland – over the next three years.
The £20 million Craigavon development plan includes two purpose-built catering hubs, featuring restaurants, mixed used dining and working areas, covered outdoor eating, breakout spaces and seating for almost 1,000 people at any one time.
Subject to planning approvals, these hubs are expected to be completed in early 2023.
Additional developments currently under construction include a new purpose-built multi-level car park providing additional free parking for every employee.
Provisional plans have already been drafted for phase two of the expansion plans which include a dedicated wellness centre, an employee gymnasium, a walking track around the campus and a third catering facility.
The global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has today (Tuesday), reported its highest ever end-of-year results for revenue, profit, and employee numbers.
In their financial results for year ending 30 September 2021, Almac recorded a £58 million (8.6%) rise in turnover from £677 million in 2020 to £735 million in 2021. Pre-tax profits were recorded at £81 million, up from £64 million (27.1% increase) for the same period the previous year.
The report also detailed an increase in Almac’s average employee figures from 5,466 to 5,783 (5.8%) during the period of October 2020 to September 2021.
Current employee numbers for the group now sits at over 6,500 and a current global recruitment drive will increase the total number to over 8,000 over the next three years, with over 1,000 of these new roles planned for Northern Ireland.
Almac is at the forefront of developing, manufacturing, testing and distributing essential medicines to vulnerable patients around the world.
During this financial year the group was involved in the development of over 300 life-saving drugs spanning more than 20 therapeutic areas including oncology, cardiology, immunology, gene therapy and neurology. Almac was also instrumental in supporting over 200 research projects for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.
Privately owned Almac says it is committed to re-investing all profits back into its business and today announces a £200 million global capital investment plan to meet increased client demand over the next three years.
Investment will take place in existing Almac locations in Northern Ireland, other sites in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia.
Alan Armstrong, Almac Group CEO, said: “I am hugely proud of our achievements in the last financial year. I am incredibly grateful to every one of our employees for their part in delivering these outstanding results as we continue our vital work developing life-saving and life-enhancing medicines for our clients and patients.
“Almac is committed to re-investing all our profit back into the business to ensure we are market leading for clients and offer the best possible work environment for our people.
“For our clients, we are investing £200 million on expansion to ensure we remain the global leaders in our industry and give them, and ultimately patients across the world who receive benefit from these therapeutics, the best possible offering from Almac.
“For our employees, we have already introduced a number of new measures; a bonus for all, reduced working hours, flexible and hybrid working where applicable.
“We are also committed to providing our employees with the best possible working environment and today’s Craigavon campus expansion announcement underlines our commitment.”
