Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals

South Cumbria's chemicals and pharmaceutical industry employs around 1,500 people directly. It is part of the large concentration of chemical companies found in north west England. The main products are: Antibiotics and pharmaceuticals; Building chemicals; Condensate processing; Detergents.

GlaxoSmithKline ,Ulverston, (over 500 employees) own and operate a bulk active primary pharmaceuticals plant on a 55 acre site which undertakes bulk sterile finishing, wax encapsulation. The site opened in 1947 as a penicillin fermentation facility and has focused on antibiotic manufacturing. The future is cephalosporin bulk products.  More than 70% of the Ulverston plant's production is produced for export. A site review is underway oin 2008

Robert McBride Barrow, manufactures detergents. They employ over 250 people. A major £13.5 m investment opened on 16 June 2000 has been followed by further automation to enable the site to service supermarket own label powder detergent demand.

Elf Atochem Chemicals in Barrow and Kingfisher Chemicals at Ulverston together employ 300 people producing building preservatives.

Centrica Energy at Rampside Road <Barrow employ around 200 people.The site processes natural gas and condensate from the East Irish Sea gasfields and H2S from the Rivers gasfield. Both items are then exported as bulk liquid fuel and bulk sulphuric acid.

Candle making by Blyth Industries at their  Partylite Manufacturing Barrow, Sandscale Park site is complemented by Colony Gift's London Road, Lindal factory  to completethe chemicals processing activity in Furness.

These main producing companies give rise to   a wide range of electrical, engineering, transport, maintenance companies providing supporting services. These include Agrilek, Handmark Engineering, Amtrak, Process Pipework Services and Eddie Stobart Ltd.

If you are interested in developing a chemical business in Furness we have a total business support package for you.

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