» FEBRUARY 2011
Aesica Aims To Achieve One Vision
 FEBRUARY 2011: Following its most successful year to date, Aesica Pharmaceuticals is set to almost double in size and has successfully expanded into new markets. The company's vision is to become the world's leading supplier of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients and Formulated Products and recent developments could enable Aesica to achieve this, and quickly.
As one of the fastest growing companies in the UK, Aesica has increased turnover by over 300 per cent in the last five years and was ranked 3rd in Deloitte's 2011 Buyout Track 100 as published in The Sunday Times.
2010 was also a year of significant expansion for Aesica, as it acquired Nottingham-based R5 Pharmaceuticals* in June and more recently announced the acquisition of three European sites from leading Belgian pharmaceutical firm, UCB. ** In addition, new business development managers were recruited for San Diego and New York in preparation for further expansion across America.
The European acquisitions, which include a long-term strategic partnership with UCB, have resulted in Aesica doubling its workforce to approximately 1,300 staff and will have a significant impact on revenue. As a result of this and planned future developments, by 2013 Aesica predicts sales of £300 million.
Dr. Robert Hardy, Chief Executive, Aesica, says: "Since Aesica was founded in 2004 we have worked strategically to expand our offering and market reach while consolidating our existing client portfolio. While we have experienced rapid growth, the contract manufacturing market also continues to experience significant growth and increasing numbers of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are recognising the benefits of outsourcing their drug manufacturing requirements. As companies look for greater flexibility, swifter commercialisation, minimal capital expenditure and lower scale up costs, our expertise and proven track record in delivering a full service offering is enabling us to further increase our market share and reach new markets.
"While contract manufacturers are broadening their service offering to cover development, regulatory advice, manufacturing and packing, to manage the whole product lifecycle, we have offered such service provision from the outset. Now we are looking at new ways of adding value to our offering through the development of new high containment facilities to complement our high potency capability. Such evolution and development is critical to ensuring we are at the forefront of our industry and effectively shaping market trends.
"Our vision has always been to become the leading supplier of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients and Formulated Products to the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries and following the success of 2010 we have secured a greater market share, taking us one step closer to achieving this ambition."
Aesica supplies contract development and contract manufacturing services for Formulated Products and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients to a host of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies and emerging biotechnology organisations.
Its unique proposition lies in its flexible and bespoke approach to service delivery, coupled with its ability to develop products from the initial clinical stage through to final commercial supply. Furthermore, the long established and proven expertise within the company enables it to provide primary and secondary contract manufacturing services to the highest possible standards. It is this all-encompassing offer and its dedication to exceptional standards of service that truly sets Aesica apart from its counterparts.
For more information about Aesica please visit www.aesica-pharma.com
ENDS
For further information please contact Madeleine Griffith or Christina Pounder on 01642 584790 or email madeleine@velvetcommunications.co.uk or christina@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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Launch Of Energy And Environmental Network Proves A Success
FEBRUARY 2011: A new network in the North East has experienced a great response to its launch with over 120 members already signed up. The Energy and Environmental Industries Forum (EEIF) was launched in January 2011 with the aim to help businesses, organisations and agencies in the energy and environmental industries meet, connect and grow.
The EEIF was formed by Renew, which is responsible for facilitating and delivering commercial energy and environmental technology projects across the North East. The network was exclusively created to encourage the continued growth of the energy and environmental sector, which continues to play an increasingly important role in the region.
Free membership to the EEIF continues to be available to interested companies, organisations and individuals, who can access a wide range of benefits. Current members of the EEIF cover a broad and diverse range of sectors including the waste-management, biomass, renewables, environmental consulting, photovoltaic-systems, carbon-finance, carbon-capture and storage, energy-management, hydro, micro-renewables, wind, water-supply, waste water treatment, environmental-monitoring, noise and vibration control, alternative-fuel, air-pollution and geothermal industries. In addition, many local authorities have also signed up to the network.
The most beneficial resource that members can access is a tender and contracts search facility, which gives access to an extensive list of available tenders from a range of categories for both large and small contracts from the UK and America, as well as a European and US Market Browser covering a variety of sectors. There are over 1,600 tenders available for members to view free of charge.
Once registered companies have the ability to create an individual profile page, which can be used to join specific sectors before connecting with other members. The EEIF also has an extensive events programme, which currently details over thirty events from the energy and environmental sectors throughout 2011 and is growing on a daily bases as members promote their events. Moreover, the EEIF is set to announce its own calendar of events in the coming weeks, which will add further value to members.
Members can also access the daily news feed and receive a weekly e-newsletter, which has an overview of the previous weeks news, as well detailing upcoming events and job opportunities.
Chris Hayward, Acting Director of Renew said: "That so many members are already enjoying the benefits of the EEIF is encouraging, as the network is designed to support this growing sector especially across North East England. Feedback we have collated to date clearly shows that the tender search service is one of the EEIF's most valuable resources enabling members to easily view all competitive opportunities across the UK and indeed further afield. This service alone is reason enough to register to become a member, as such access is usually cost prohibitive to many SMEs and organisations.
"While the network is growing from strength to strength, we'd like to encourage other business, organisations and local authorities that are yet to register to sign up, as the EEIF provides a great platform to connect with other like-minded individuals, share experiences and knowledge and potentially trade."
Membership is currently free and Renew is urging both private and public sector organisations to visit www.eeif.co.uk and sign up to experience the many benefits the network offers.
The network will be officially launched by Renew at the Energy and Environment North East 2011 event on Wednesday 23 March at the Excel Centre, Newton Aycliffe in County Durham. Entry and exhibition stands are free to North East companies operating in this sector.
For further information about the EEIF or to become a member please visit www.eeif.co.uk
For further information please visit www.renew-cpi.com or 01642 455 340.
ENDS
For further information please contact Christina Pounder or Sam Raby on 01642 584790 or email christina@velvetcommunications.co.uk or sam@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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Staff At Architectural Firm Train In Sustainability
FEBRUARY 2011: Two members of staff at North East architectural firm, Niven Architects, have expanded the services offered by the company through the completion of a sustainability training course and by qualifying as code assessors.
Associate Director, Siobhan McMahon and Architectural Designer, Jon Moreels, are now both licenced Code Assessors, which allows them to assess new projects under the Code for Sustainable Homes, which is an environmental scoring system for residential developments in England and Wales. The Code was introduced as a voluntary standard in England in 2007 and became a mandatory requirement for all new homes in May 2008. It is a significant move towards reducing the environmental impact of residential developments and promoting sustainable thinking.
The Code works by awarding new homes a star rating from one to six based on their performance against nine sustainability criteria, which are combined to assess the overall environmental impact. One star is entry level and six stars is the highest incorporating Zero Carbon, reflecting exemplary developments in terms of sustainability. The theory is that the rating scheme enables every new homeowner to know whether their home was built to higher standards than building regulations and what standards have been met.
Simon Crowe, Architectural Director, Niven Architects, said: "It's vital that we introduce sustainability policies into our practice as more and more companies are incorporating the sustainability principles into their corporate policy. We always consider sustainability in any project we embark upon so it made sense to make sure that our staff are sufficiently skilled to assess sustainability standards achieved. It is anticipated that the Building Regulations, as well as the minimum mandatory Code level, will continue to improve until the 2016 target of 'net zero CO2 emissions' per annum standard, which is equivalent to Code level six.
"Sustainable design and architecture is a key focus for our practice in 2011 as we strive to develop this particular division of the business both in terms of residential and commercial projects. Niven Architects is committed to ensuring that our practice is at the forefront of sustainable design, meeting client requirements and adding value at every possible level."
Niven Architects is a leading architectural practice providing a holistic service from concept through to final delivery.
The company has extensive experience and expertise spanning 25 years in providing quality and excellence in all aspects of, architectural design and project management. Its service proposition is robust and comprises pre-development consultation, architectural design, visualisation, planning, project management, sustainability services, interior design and retail design services. While it has a rich heritage in North East England, the practice works within all development sectors nationally and in some cases internationally.
For more information about Niven Architects please visit www.nivenarchitects.co.uk or call 01325 260055.
ENDS
For further information please contact Madeleine Griffith or Liz Eddy at Velvet Communications on 01642 584790 or 07909 537 773 or via email at madeleine@velvetcommunications.co.uk / elizabeth@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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Marathon Man Clocks Up Miles For Charity
FEBRUARY 2011: The project manager of a hostel for homeless young people in Newcastle is about to embark on three marathons in one month to raise funds and awareness for the charity, Depaul UK.
Ted Haughey from Durham will be running three marathons in three different countries and rather than having a well deserved rest afterwards, Ted will travel to Manchester to take part in a 10k run.
Depaul UK is a national charity that helps and supports young people who are homeless, vulnerable and disadvantaged.
Speaking of his fundraising Ted said: "I wanted to do something to draw attention to Depaul UK and raise some money to go towards enabling the charity to continue to help vulnerable young people within our society. I'm a keen runner and I've completed the Great North Run ten times, but I knew I had to push myself further if I was expecting people to donate money, so I decided three marathons in four weeks would be a much bigger challenge and really push me to my limits"
The first marathon will see Ted travel to Paris on 10th April. He will then complete the London marathon on 17th April and his last marathon will be in Belfast on 2nd May. Finally, he will travel to Manchester on 15th May and take part in the Great Manchester Run, which covers ten kilometres.
Depaul UK is part of Depaul International, an organisation that supports homeless and marginalised people around the world. All of the runs are taking place in areas where the organisations work and Ted hopes to raise awareness of local projects in each location he runs in.
Ted has worked for Depaul UK for six years. Originally from London Ted came to the North East in 2005 as a project worker at Simonside House Supported Accommodation for the homeless, which he now manages. The hostel offers accommodation to 11 young people aged 16-25 and supports a further 19 young people in the community to maintain their own tenancies. Although a national charity, around 50 per cent of the work Depaul UK undertakes is concentrated in the North East and last year the charity helped 1200 young people in the region.
Ted adds: "I'm aiming to raise £2,000, which would be the equivalent of paying for a year's heating in one of our projects"
To help Ted reach his target of £2,000 please go to www.justgiving.com/Ted-Haughey and pledge your support.
For more information about Depaul UK please visit www.depauluk.org
ENDS
For further information please contact Madeleine Griffith or email madeleine@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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Aesica In Sunday Times Top Three Track 100
FEBRUARY 2011: Aesica Pharmaceuticals was named number three in the Sunday Times Deloitte Buyout Track 100 yesterday following the company's most successful year since it was formed in 2004.
The Deloitte list ranks the UK's top private equity backed companies with the fastest growing profits. This is the second year in which Aesica, backed by LDC the private equity part of the Lloyds Banking Group, has featured in the list climbing 47 places from last year's position at number 50.
Aesica secured its place on the list as it profits increased by 106% from £3.5 million in 2007 to £14.7 million in 2009.
Dr Robert Hardy, Chief Executive Officer, Aesica, said: "We have had a very clear strategy in place for expansion over the past 12 months starting with the acquisition of R5 Pharmaceuticals in Nottingham in June 2010 and followed by the acquisition of three European manufacturing sites from UCB, which are due to complete shortly. The European acquisitions, which include a long-term strategic partnership with UCB, will result in our workforce almost doubling to approximately 1,300 staff, which will have a significant impact on revenue in 2011. Furthermore we recruited new business development managers for San Diego and New York in preparation for future expansion across America. As a result of our expansion and planned future developments, by 2013 we predict sales of over £300 million."
Aesica supplies contract development and contract manufacturing services for Formulated Products and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients to a host of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies and emerging biotechnology organisations.
Its unique proposition lies in its flexible and bespoke approach to service delivery, coupled with its ability to develop products from the initial clinical stage through to final commercial supply. Furthermore, the long established and proven expertise within the company enables it to provide primary and secondary contract manufacturing services to the highest possible standards. It is this all encompassing offer and its dedication to exceptional standards of service that truly sets Aesica apart from its counterparts.
For more information about Aesica please visit www.aesica-pharma.com
ENDS
For further information please contact Madeleine Griffith or Christina Pounder on 01642 584790 or email madeleine@velvetcommunications.co.uk or christina@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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"World Beating" Green Businesses Gather At North East Event To Assess Future
FEBRUARY 2011: Leading green industries are gathering at a forthcoming event on 23 March to hear what lies ahead for this burgeoning sector from keynote speakers.
Representatives from the green sector are signing up to a free event event designed to enable North East SME's active in the energy and environmental sectors to come together and reflect on the growth of the sector, while looking ahead to what the future holds for businesses operating in the region.
Energy and Environment North East 2011, organised by RENEW will be held at the Xcel Centre in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham on Wednesday 23 March 2011 and will feature an extensive programme of exhibitions, speakers and workshops.
The free one-day event will comprise a welcome and keynote speech from a leading industry figure, a review of the National Landscape and advice around Green Project Finance, followed by a Regional Landscape Review and Q&A session with the Speaker Panel. In the afternoon there will be a host of workshops for delegates to attend, spanning a wide range of energy and environmental topics.
Keynote speakers are confirmed as Graham Hillier, Director of Strategy and Futures at CPI, who will look at the importance of resources and the positioning of opportunities, Carl Nicholls from WRAP will review the national landscape of where the sector is heading, Damian McGann from Santander will discuss Green Project Finance and John Barton of RENEW will look at the success of the North East region and what the picture looks like now.
John Barton, Project Director, RENEW said: "The Prime Minister, David Cameron, recently called the region's green businesses, 'World-Beating" saying, 'We have great industrial strengths across our country, underpinned by world beating companies [including] green technologies in the North East' and this event will showcase these businesses.
"With over 1,000 businesses and organisations operating in the energy and environmental marketplace in the North East, the region is establishing itself at the forefront of the UK's low carbon and sustainable energy drive. Delegates will hear keynote speakers reflect on the tough times the area has faced, how the public sectors cuts will impact on the industry and reassess everything looking at what the future will look like nationally, regionally and more specifically, financially. It will be a great opportunity for like-minded people to talk about what they think the future holds, the size of the sector and what opportunities are available to them."
RENEW facilitates and delivers commercial energy and environmental technology projects across North East England and is committed to ensuring the region is at the forefront of the UK's low carbon and sustainable energy drive.
Working with businesses, communities, investors, regulators and technology suppliers RENEW helps low carbon energy and environmental technology projects make the transition from development to the marketplace. Additionally, it provides strategic support to a diverse range of businesses looking to maximise the economic opportunities and carbon reductions from the application of these projects.
The one-day event is free to all regional SMEs operating in the sector, but registration is essential. Furthermore, RENEW is inviting regional SMEs to benefit from free exhibition space at the event.
To register or secure exhibition space please visit www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-events/energy-and-enviroment-2011/ or call Liz Ferguson on 0191 232 7500.
For further information please visit www.renew-cpi.com or 01642 455 340.
ENDS
For further information please contact Christina Pounder or Sam Raby on 01642 584790 or email christina@velvetcommunications.co.uk or sam@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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North East Architectural Firm Branches Into Retail
FEBRUARY 2011: North East architectural firm, Niven Architects, has been appointed to design and manage the fitting of several luxury boutiques for Kuoni Travel across the UK.
Niven Architects has been able to undertake this new line of work following the appointment of experienced architect, Alex Pealing, who joined the firm in March 2010 from Newman Scott.
During his time at Newman Scott, Alex worked on several high profile projects including the design and delivery of branches of Yo Sushi, Beaverbrooks, Swarovski stores and over 300 Game Station stores, which were completed in just two and a half years.
Led by Alex, the team at Niven Architects can now deliver projects ranging from £30,000 up to £3 million.
Alex said: "Working on retail interiors is a very unique kind of architecture, as the turnaround is much quicker. As soon as a client obtains a space we literally work around the clock preparing designs and managing all stages of the project, it's an intense yet exciting process. We've worked on a number of high profile projects for a range of international brands and I hope to work with the senior team at the practice to further develop our offering in this marketplace."
Niven Architects have worked in partnership with Newman Scott to complete the shop fittings for three Kuoni luxury travel boutiques, which opened last year in Dorking, Meadowhall and Liverpool, and the practice is currently working on another four stores that are set to open later this year across the UK.
Simon Crowe, Architectural Director, Niven Architects, said: "We pride ourselves on the diverse range of projects we deliver at Niven Architects and our employees enjoy
the variety of our work, with each project being different to the last. Within the company we have specialists who have worked on residential, commercial, hospitality and education projects, among others. With Alex's expertise we are now
in a position to work on shop fitting projects and as Alex's experience has proven, we can effectively deliver projects nationwide. As such, we are planning to develop this particular division of the practice and are expecting it to account for 15 per cent of our turnover at the close of this financial year and 25 per cent the following year."
Niven Architects is a leading architectural practice providing a holistic service from concept through to final delivery.
The company has extensive experience and expertise spanning 25 years in providing quality and excellence in all aspects of, architectural design and project management. Its service proposition is robust and comprises pre-development consultation, architectural design, visualisation, planning, project management, sustainability services and interior design. While it has a rich heritage in North East England, the practice works within all development sectors nationally and in some cases internationally.
For more information about Niven Architects please visit www.nivenarchitects.co.uk or call 01325 260055.
ENDS
For further information please contact Madeleine Griffith or Liz Eddy at Velvet Communications on 01642 584790 or 07909 537 773 or via email at madeleine@velvetcommunications.co.uk / elizabeth@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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Beep My Valentine
 FEBRUARY 2011: North East romantics have been given the chance to declare their love while on the move this Valentine's Day thanks to local bus operator, Stagecoach North East.
The bus company is inviting people to send in their Valentine's messages for a chance to have them displayed on local services through its 'Beep My Valentine' competition.
Passengers can send messages for their loved ones to Stagecoach North East and the winning entry will be posted on the side of a bus for all to see, with short-listed messages displayed inside local services throughout the region on Valentine's Day.
Jodine Milne, Marketing Manager of Stagecoach North East said, "This is a unique opportunity for people to make a public declaration of their love. Maybe your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife travels on one of our services to work each day and you want to send them a special message to brighten up their day. If you've always admired a fellow bus passenger, then it's a great chance to share your feelings or maybe someone out there is looking for a unique and surprising way to propose?"
Valentine's messages can be sent to northeast.enquiries@stagecoachbus.com titled "Beep My Valentine". Entries must state the entrant's full name, telephone number, address, local town and their message.
Deadline for entries is Wednesday 9 February and the best one will be chosen and displayed on the outside of a bus on Valentine's Day, with runners-up featuring on internal posters on local bus services.
For further information about Stagecoach North East please visit www.stagecoachbus.com/northeast
ENDS
For further information please contact Christina Pounder or Elizabeth Eddy on 01642 584790 or email christina@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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Online Health & Fitness Tool Created For Local Authority Use
 FEBRUARY 2011: Online health and fitness resource www.iexerci.se has launched a new version of the site to be used by Local Authorities and other public orgainsations such as the NHS, as a tool to help people lead a healthier lifestyle and to lose weight.
NHS bodies are already successfully using the online support tool across the UK to help with patient health and weight loss schemes.
The company located in Durham, originally focused on supporting individuals but has since adapted the product and service for health professionals such as personal trainers and dieticians as well as the NHS and other public organisations.
Retford Health in Nottingham is currently using the scheme as part of its weight loss programme after the team at iexerci.se provided the organisation with software, which enables it to track the progress of patients on its Chrysalis Weight Management Scheme.
Creator and CEO of iexerci.se, Phil Crosby, says: "We built software for the Retford Health weight management courses which we branded with its information and logos, but which we run through iexerci.se technology and databases. We also rebuilt the company website so that there was consistency between that and the new iexerci.se tool.
"We believe the tool will appeal to councils and community organisations too, as they look to add value to their service provision. Health and fitness remains a key priority and an issue that local authorities are keen to address and working with them we can create an affordable resource that can be white-labelled to suit their specific requirements. Furthermore we have created bespoke accounts for health professionals such as trainers, nutritionists and physiotherapists and are hoping to work with a host of health clubs in the future too."
www.iexerci.se includes a comprehensive food diary populated with thousands of foods and users can easily add any other specific foods or recipes that aren't already in there. Once meals are entered into the food diary, iexerci.se works out how many calories have been consumed and what percentage of the food consumed is protein, carbohydrates, fats and alcohol, as well as the user's recommended daily allowances (RDAs) of various vitamins.
It has been widely documented that using a food diary aids weight loss and the software designed by iexerci.se can also be accessed on mobile phones, making it very easy for patients to keep their food diaries up to date. The website also allows users to enter goals and exercise programmes and set specific targets such as inch loss around the waist.
To try the website for free go to www.iexerci.se for a 21 day free trial. Annual membership is £29.99.
ENDS
For further information please contact Madeleine Griffith or Elizabeth Eddy on 01642 584790 or email madeleine@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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North East Dad Uses Green Technology for Sporting Shelter
FEBRUARY 2011: A North East father-of-two has developed an award winning innovative sports product to enhance the safety and performance of players after watching his son play football in the cold and wet weather.
David Mallon from Newcastle, has developed a portable dug-out made from 100 per cent recycled materials with help from RENEW.
David who formed, Point of Sport, to develop the product said: "I first had the idea after spending a very wet, windy and cold afternoon watching my son play football. Standing on the touchline my son was so cold that I began to worry about his wellbeing, that's when I thought there had to be something we could do to make sure the team was sheltered when not on the pitch."
David and his brother Peter set about designing a shelter that was portable, lightweight and easy to use.
"Once we'd worked up our idea we approached RENEW for some help with business development and support in building a prototype to drive the project forward. The team at RENEW were instrumental in helping us develop the prototype; originally we were using honeycomb panels, but they helped us experiment and we're now using a unique plastic recycling process that is strong, lightweight and cost effective to manufacture."
The shelter is fully portable and is designed to also accommodate disabled athletes, weighs less than 35kg, folds flat, is on a roller system and pops up in 15 seconds.
RENEW facilitates and delivers commercial energy and environmental technology projects across North East England and supported Point of Sport by connecting the company with key industry contacts, as well as providing funding and expertise to aid the development process. The team also suggested that David enter the prestigious Rushlight Awards that recognise excellence and innovation in environmental technology projects.
John Barton, Project Director, RENEW said: "It has been inspiring to see the progress David and Peter at Point of Sport have made. Our experienced team at RENEW assess the commercial viability of a concept before utilising our industrial contacts and specialist knowledge to help create pragmatic solutions for those looking to get exciting new energy and environmental technology projects like Point of Sport off the ground. The product was conceived out of need and shows how innovative green technologies can be used to solve problems and bridge gaps in the market.
"More importantly, there is huge potential for the product to evolve to provide shelter solutions in situations such as natural disasters or other humanitarian causes. We feel the investment opportunities in Point of Sport are particularly exciting and would encourage interested parties to contact David or channel queries through our team."
David concludes: "Winning the Rushlight Waste Recycling Award in January was fantastic as it's been a long journey and to be recognised for our work is very motivational. We were the only company in the North East to receive an award and we're very proud to represent the region in this field.
"Our North East roots are important to us and we hope to use recycled plastic waste from the region when we start manufacturing the shelter and to employ skilled professionals from the region to work with us as we expand. We are currently exploring investment opportunities to help the transition from development to production, so it is a very exciting time for Point of Sport."
Working with businesses, communities, investors, regulators and technology suppliers RENEW helps low carbon energy and environmental technology projects make the transition from development to the marketplace. Additionally, it provides strategic support to a diverse range of businesses looking to maximise the economic opportunities and carbon reductions from the application of these projects.
For further information please visit www.renew-cpi.com or 01642 455 340.
ENDS
For further information please contact Elizabeth Eddy or Christina Pounder on 01642 584790 or email elizabeth@velvetcommunications.co.uk or Christina@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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Aesica Announces European Appointments
 FEBRUARY 2011: Following the recent announcement that it has signed contracts ahead of acquiring three manufacturing sites from UCB in Germany and Italy, Aesica Pharmaceuticals has appointed a team to direct and manage its new European operation.*
The three manufacturing sites are located in Monheim, Zwickau and Pianezza and the acquisition demonstrates Aesica's commitment to continually enhancing its service offering to the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
Simon Clough, who has been with Aesica for over three years, has been appointed Managing Director, Formulated Products Business Unit, and will be based at the Monheim site. He will be supported by Katy Lineker, Finance Director, Formulated Products Business Unit, who will also be based in Monheim.
Furthermore, three Aesica ambassadors have been appointed to support and facilitate the transition following the completion of the acquisition in early 2011. Janette Waterhouse will be based at Zwickau for three months, Edd Wood will spend three months at Pianezza and Helen Taylor will relocate to Monheim for three months.
The team will be responsible for ensuring that the expertise and capability of the staff is utilised in its entirety, maintaining current high standards of production, while establishing a platform quickly and efficiently from which new business can be developed across all three sites.
Speaking of his new role Simon says: "The acquisition of the three UCB manufacturing sites is strategically crucial for our business as we extend and enhance our current offering and establish a presence in Europe. To have been given the responsibility of directing operations for the Formulate Products Business Unit is an honour and I am committed to ensuring we build upon the strategic partnership we have formed with UCB, as well as introducing new lines of business across the sites. Aesica's vision is to become the leading supplier of Formulated Products and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients and I believe that our European operation will play a pivotal role in achieving this."
Dr. Robert Hardy, Chief Executive, Aesica, adds: "The acquisition is Aesica's first outside of the UK and will have a significant impact upon our business as we almost double the size of our workforce to approximately 1,300. More importantly, the arrangement represents the beginning of a long-term strategic partnership with UCB, which we hope will act as a model of best practice to inform and shape our future expansion in Europe and further afield.
"Simon has been instrumental in making this acquisition and our entry into the European manufacturing market a reality and I am delighted that he will be directing and implementing our vision across the three sites with the support of Katy and our ambassadors. Our people are our greatest asset and the team that will facilitate our transition into Europe is crucial to its success and ensuring that all current UCB staff are welcomed and fully integrated into the Aesica team."
"Throughout 2011 we plan to consolidate operations across our new sites, strengthen our strategic partnerships with UCB and other organisations, while continuing to expand by establishing manufacturing sites in the US and a presence in emerging markets."
The acquisition of the three UCB sites in Europe follows a period of rapid expansion for Aesica and was a natural progression for the business. In 2010 alone, it established a presence in the US by recruiting business development managers in New York and San Diego and in June it successfully acquired R5 Pharmaceuticals, enabling Aesica to strengthen its formulations capability while introducing early stage research and development expertise into its service offering. **
Aesica supplies contract development and contract manufacturing services for Formulated Products and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients to a host of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies and emerging biotechnology organisations.
Its unique proposition lies in its flexible and bespoke approach to service delivery, coupled with its ability to develop products from the initial clinical stage through to final commercial supply. Furthermore, the long established and proven expertise within the company enables it to provide primary and secondary contract manufacturing services to the highest possible standards. It is this all encompassing offer and its dedication to exceptional standards of service that truly sets Aesica apart from its counterparts.
For more information about Aesica please visit www.aesica-pharma.com
ENDS
For further information please contact Christina Pounder or Elizabeth Eddy on 01642 584790 or email christina@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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Energy & Environmental Businesses Encouraged to Connect and Grow at Free Event
FEBRUARY 2011: A free event event designed to enable North East SME's active in the energy and environmental sectors to demonstrate their expertise and experience to local and national buyers, has launched today.
The event, organised by RENEW will be held at the Xcel Centre in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham on Wednesday 23 March 2011 and will feature an extensive programme of exhibitions, speakers and workshops.
RENEW facilitates and delivers commercial energy and environmental technology projects across North East England and is committed to ensuring the region is at the forefront of the UK's low carbon and sustainable energy drive.
The one-day event will comprise a welcome and keynote speech from a leading industry figure, a review of the National Landscape and advice around Green Project Finance, followed by a Regional Landscape Review and Q&A session with the Speaker Panel. In the afternoon there will be a host of workshops for delegates to attend, spanning a wide range of energy and environmental topics including:
• Construction Resource Efficiency
• Recycling Opportunities in conjunction with Daniel O'Connor, Newcastle University
• WEEE Reuse in conjunction with Duncan Simpson of VALPAK
• Micro-renewables – electricity and heat
• North East Manufacturing
• Wind and Marine delivered with NaREC
• Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and District Heating with the Swan Institute Newcastle University
John Barton, Project Director, RENEW said: "There are over 1,000 businesses and organisations operating in the energy and environmental marketplace in the North East and this number is set to increase as the region strives to establish itself at the forefront of the UK's low carbon and sustainable energy drive. We believe there is a real need to bring everyone together in one place to connect, share expertise and knowledge, while supporting the trade and supply chain and helping members to enjoy tangible commercial results.
"We have created the Energy and Environment North East 2011 event to achieve just this and hope it will provide regional SMEs with the opportunity to network, while benefiting from a series of practical workshops and hearing from a selection of the industry's leading figures regarding the future of the sector within the region and beyond."
Working with businesses, communities, investors, regulators and technology suppliers RENEW helps low carbon energy and environmental technology projects make the transition from development to the marketplace. Additionally, it provides strategic support to a diverse range of businesses looking to maximise the economic opportunities and carbon reductions from the application of these projects.
The one-day event is free to all regional SMEs operating in the sector, but registration is essential. Furthermore, RENEW is inviting regional SMEs to benefit from free exhibition space at the event. The event can accommodate 45 exhibitors and organisations are encouraged to contact the event organisers to secure one of the places as interest and demand will be high.
To register or secure exhibition space please visit www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-events/energy-and-enviroment-2011/ or call Liz Ferguson on 0191 232 7500.
For further information please visit www.renew-cpi.com or 01642 455 340.
ENDS
For further information please contact Elizabeth Eddy or Christina Pounder on 01642 584790 or email elizabeth@velvetcommunications.co.uk or Christina@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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