GSK ‘bolsters global presence’ with £90 million-plus Barnard Castle plant

A pharma firm has opened a £90 million-plus plant it says will “strengthen its global role in bringing new innovative medicines into production”.

GSK has cut the ribbon on an aseptic smart manufacturing factory at Barnard Castle, in County Durham.

Known as Q Block, bosses says the hub will begin making commercial medicines in early 2023.

Describing the building as a paperless facility, they say it will “leverage digital technology” to “launch products at speed while reducing waste”.

Elizabeth Rowbotham, site director, said: “Barnard Castle is a key site at the heart of the future strategy for the company in delivering important existing and new medicines globally.

“Q Block puts GSK and Barnard Castle at the forefront of medicines manufacture, and I am delighted the site will play such an important role supporting the delivery of our innovative pipeline.

“This demonstrates GSK’s commitment to the local area, and I look forward to continuing to build a skilled team of people from across a mix of disciplines.

“What we do together here makes a difference to patients every day.”

Founded in 1945, the Barnard Castle site is one of GSK’s largest manufacturing bases in the UK, employing around 1000 people and supplying nearly half a million packs of products every day to 140 global markets.

It makes a diverse range of products, including medicines for HIV and respiratory disease, and its County Durham hub was also last year chosen by Billingham’s FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies to provide ‘fill and finish’ services for its Novavax COVID-19 vaccine.