Brecon opens new facility citing 2011 partnership as driver

The Powys, Wales-based contract packaging and clinical trial services group – which is part of US group AmeriSourceBergen – opened the facility in Treforest earlier this month adding 23,000 sq ft of temperature controlled storage capacity.

The site – which created eight new jobs – has space for 1000 ambient pallets, 160 refrigerated pallets and 50 frozen pallets and is intended to provide distribution services for both clinical trial supplies and commercial products.

Managing director Peter Belden told Outsourcing-pharma.com the formation of Brecon’s partnership with Anderson Packaging​ – which is also owned by AmerisourceBergen and part of ABCS – prompted the expansion and had created opportunities in the UK and beyond.

“Since the creation of Anderson Brecon Clinical Services (ABCS) in the UK, there has been much greater demand for clinical trial support services.​

“The new site will enable Brecon Pharmaceuticals to meet the growing needs of its customers and as a result, will create more opportunities for the industry across the UK and the rest of Europe.”​

Brecon and Anderson became part of AmbersourceBegren’s consulting services (ABCS) segment - which ships trial supplies and approved drugs - last year when the US services firm decided to rearranged its contract packaging and distribution services division.

UK trial services hub​

The opening of the new Brecon facility took place just a few days before Catalent completed its acquisition of Aptuit’s trial supplies business​, which added two UK distribution centres to the New Jersey contractor’s global network.

And, the Brecon opening followed a few weeks after Northern Ireland, UK-based contractor Almac opened a new clinical supply services facility in Craigavon​.

All of which suggests that the UK is likely to maintain its position as a key trial supply distribution hub and that competition among service providers will increase.