Hovione has recently expanded capacity and plans for future expansion at its sites in Portugal, Ireland and New Jersey. The company will increase capacity in existing technologies, such as spray drying, and grow in new areas to support clients demand.
 
The capacity expansion began in 2016 and will continue over the next five years. In the first two years, Hovione relocated its development services to a new center in Lisbon with 7,000 m², and is fully equipped to handle potent compounds. The new building hosts 200 scientists from the chemistry, particle engineering, formulation and analytical development areas.
 
The Loures site also expanded its drug substance reaction vessel capacity with a small-scale production area and a new pilot plant, totaling additional 30 m³ of capacity. In addition, one pilot and two large scale spray dryers were installed at the site, which is now equipped with oral dosage form and inhalation manufacturing capabilities. 
 
Hovione doubled the size of its development and manufacturing operations in NJ, adding a range of capabilities, from chemical and analytical development to spray drying and formulation. The site now hosts 14 m³ of reaction vessel capacity with four independent trains, a pilot and a large-scale spray dryer and a continuous tableting unit. 
 
In the Cork site in Ireland, Hovione is reinstating and renewing a production building with 157m³ of chemical synthesis capacity devoted to contract manufacturing.  About half of this capacity will be ready for operation by May 2018.
 
Over the next three years, Hovione will add to the Loures site a new chemical synthesis and spray dryer building for contract manufacturing, with a total of 4,200 m² for 165m³ of reaction vessel capacity, two large spray drying units, new formulation facilities for bigger batch sizes, and a new building that will host additional 1200 m² of analytical laboratories.
 
These investments are supported by a 39% increase in staff in the last 2 years.
 
“This addition in capacity expansion will secure our growth and ensure that we continue to provide a truly integrated full-service solution to our customers, as well as showing Hovione’s strategy and commitment to further strengthen its global market leadership in Spray Drying,” said Frédéric Kahn, vice president marketing and sales.