Almac Group Continues Aggressive Hiring Campaign in PA to Meet Growing Demand from Pharma and Biotech Customers

Almac Group Continues Aggressive Hiring Campaign in PA to Meet Growing Demand from Pharma and Biotech Customers

Running counter to staffing conditions at many local employers, one Philadelphia-area company continues to aggressively hire as it prepares to move to its new North American headquarters next year.


The Almac Group (www.almacgroup.com), a global provider of pharmaceutical and biotechnology services, has hired 150 professionals within the past six months, bringing its current U.S. workforce to nearly 900 - with 670 employees based in the Greater Philadelphia region. The company is actively recruiting to fill 70 additional positions in the area, some of them senior-level professional and technical jobs. Globally, Almac employs 2,400.


With facilities currently in Audubon and Yardley, the company will consolidate its PA operations and workforce at a new, $112 million North American headquarters it is building in Souderton, located in LowerSalfordTownship, MontgomeryCounty. It plans to relocate there in July 2010. The 240,000-plus-square foot facility will accommodate a workforce of 760, nearly a 20 percent increase in employees over Almac's current staffing levels.


"The challenging economic climate has not reduced demand for our services," said Jim Murphy, President and Managing Director of Almac Clinical Technologies. "More than ever, Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are relying on trusted partners who can help them move their products through the clinical development process more quickly and efficiently.  Our aggressive hiring and expansion plans come in response to that demand."


Almac helps leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies bring their drugs to market by providing a range of services, including R & D, formulation development, clinical supply management and clinical technologies. Its 600 customers include all of the global leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.


Murphy said Almac was strategic in its decision to build its North American headquarters in the Philadelphia region.


"The Lower Salford location keeps us directly in the New Jersey-Pennsylvania-Delaware pharmaceutical corridor. In addition, it is surrounded by a growing and vibrant region that gives us access to highly educated, well-trained talent, not to mention its proximity to many major transportation routes, including I-476 and Route 202."


The new facility will house the preparation of pharmaceutical supply chain activities, including manufacturing, project management, software development and clinical technologies, as well as administration, IT communications and a network operations center. 


Rich Moore, Director of Human Resources at Almac, said the company is recruiting for a number of jobs, primarily in project management, production, distribution, software development and IT. The positions range from entry level to highly-skilled, technical openings. A complete list of available positions is posted on the company's website.


The company, which has its global headquarters in Northern Ireland, also has facilities in Durham, NC and San Francisco, CA, two other pharmaceutical hotbeds. These facilities will remain open.


About Almac Group
The Almac Group comprises five closely integrated divisions offering a broad range of services from R&D, translational genomic services, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply and technology (IVRS/IWRS/ePRO), to commercial-scale manufacture.  Almac provides services to more than 600 companies, including all the world leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.


The company employs over 2,400 individuals and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland, where it recently won "Business of the Year" Award for 2009.

US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California.  Construction of the company's new $112m North American Headquarters started in July 08 and is expected to be completed in 2010.


For more information about the Almac Group, please visit www.almacgroup.com or e-mail [email protected].