West opens new facility in Waterford, Ireland and launches new product line

West Pharmaceutical Services has officially opened its new facility in Waterford, Ireland, which will be a global centre of excellence for the company’s advanced manufacturing network, and has announced the launch of a new product line.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the 20,500 square metre facility where the company’s proprietary elastomeric laminate sheeting (used to package insulin for use in pen injectors) was attended by customers and senior-level Irish government officials.

“West is very pleased to celebrate the official opening of our state-of-the-art facility in Waterford, as well as the launch of Westar Select, both of which are the culmination of efforts by many to support our company’s commitment to meeting the dynamic needs of our pharmaceutical and biotech partners,” said Eric Green, President and CEO, West. “Our investment in Waterford, in addition to our previously announced investments in Kinston, NC, Jurong, Singapore, and Dublin, Ireland, enable West to provide the highest levels of quality across the products and services we provide for the global customer base we serve.”

Additionally, the new facility will be among the first in the company’s global manufacturing network to produce the new Westar Select — the latest in the company’s quality enhancement offering. Westar Select will be made available through an optimised global manufacturing network with multi-site production capabilities to ensure a continuous supply chain, while helping to reduce regulatory complexity for customers.

“At West, we understand that our customers are increasingly challenged to meet new and expanding regulatory requirements, and with that comes an expectation for the highest quality in drug delivery and packaging components,” added David Montecalvo, senior vice president, Global Operations and Supply Chain, West. “Westar Select employs next generation manufacturing capabilities and product attributes that enable us to optimise product specifications, and to respond more rapidly and flexibly to customer demand and evolving market needs.”