Construction of AstraZeneca’s new production facility underway in Macclesfield

BES has begun construction of a further sterile production facility for the Zoladex cancer drug at AstraZeneca’s Macclesfield campus.

Officially announced during a site visit by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the project follows BES’s successful design and construction of a sterile production facility for the manufacture of Zoladex at the site in 2016. The Rochdale-based firm has delivered a wide variety of turnkey capital investment projects for AstraZeneca over the past 20 years, including the recent Global Packing Centre in Macclesfield.

The new sterile production plant delivered by BES will replicate its design and construction of the previous production facility. Construction of the new plant will also reflect AstraZeneca’s commitment to continuous improvement by incorporating any learnings from the design, construction and operation of the existing building.

BES is responsible for fit-out of the new facility, including pre-validation throughout project delivery, and commissioning prior to handover in Q4 2022. Taking on the role of principal contractor from May, the firm is responsible for safety, buildability and CDM compliance on the project, which will be delivered in line with site-specific safety protocols and COVID-19 restrictions.

The construction programme includes the use of pre-fabricated service modules to underpin the quality and consistency of the services installations and reduce man hours on site, delivering operational and safety benefits.

Graham Drew, BES project director, said:

“The new sterile production facility we are delivering at AstraZeneca’s Macclesfield site builds on the client’s capabilities as a leading provider of cancer treatment and supports their growth, resilience and export strategies. It is a highly complex and process-driven environment, calling upon the specialist expertise of our multi-disciplinary team.

“We are responsible for installation and commissioning of all architectural, HVAC, electrical and process utilities, for the building’s sterile accommodation, associated cleanroom areas and technical spaces. We will also co-ordinate installation and integration of the client’s process equipment, within the heavily serviced production environment.”

Neil Bennion, project manager, AstraZeneca, added:

“Continued investment in our production capability for Zoladex is an important part of global cancer treatment preparedness and of our ability to respond to increased demand and support patients worldwide.”