As the year comes to a close, we look back at the extraordinary events that have shaped our history as a global leader in the development and manufacture of resin beads.
Today, Purolite develops and manufactures resin beads used in the most regulated industries to separate, remove, or recover very specific elements and compounds.
With the development of our innovative agarose-based resin beads as well as our patented jetting technology, we aim to improve the accessibility and availability of cutting-edge antibody therapeutics worldwide, which are typically used to treat, extend, and improve the quality of life for patients with cancer, arthritis, diabetes, and many other conditions.
Purolite is Now an Ecolab Company
December 2021 saw Purolite becoming part of the Ecolab family of brands.
The
acquisition has been recognised as highly complementary to Ecolab’s current offering, which services to nearly three million commercial customer locations in the food, healthcare, hospitality, and industrial markets in more than 170 countries around the world.
The investment in talent, innovation and infrastructure from Ecolab will enable Purolite to “significantly increase production and will provide a comprehensive and game-changing offering that will make our customer’s end-product better, safer, healthier, and more effective,” stated Christophe Beck, Ecolab’s president, and CEO.
Increased Manufacturing Capacity
On October 13th 2021, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Mid Glamorgan and and other honoured dignitaries were among the many who helped us celebrate the manufacturing expansion within our facility in Llantrisant.
Our expanded state-of-the-art R&D and Manufacturing facilities have substantially increased Purolite’s production capabilities in the UK, enabling us to expand our product portfolio into new application areas and continue to lead the way in security of supply.
We also celebrated the opening of a new
Customer Experience Centre in October 2022. Designed n response to a growing global demand for biopharmaceutical products, the expansion includes hands-on interactive and educational displays, increased office space, training areas, and conference rooms, and is the latest phase of a multi-million-dollar global investment in Purolite sites by Ecolab.
Purolite’s Llantrisant facility expansion not only shows a commitment to supporting its bioprocessing customers, but also highlights the company’s commitment to the Welsh economic landscape.
Purolite extends its partnership with Repligen
Repligen is a leader in bioprocessing and long-time market leader in Protein A ligands, with two facilities that produce the majority of the global Protein A ligand demand to biopharmaceutical customers worldwide.
It was a natural choice for
Repligen and Purolite to partner in the development and commercialization of Praesto Jetted A50 HipH, which combines Purolite’s base beads with Repligen’s ligand technology to offer a novel protein A affinity resin, capable of eluting at milder conditions when compared to conventional protein A resins currently available to the bioprocessing market.
This new 10-year agreement will enable Purolite to further expand into the affinity space to provide more solutions for purification of mAbs and mAb fragments that are currently unmet by the market.
Investment in Talent
As a direct result of the Ecolab acquisition, Purolite is able to invest further in the needs of its employees.
We have also been able to expand our talent base by acquiring the knowledge, skills, and expertise of dozens of new associates across the business, including chemists, scientists, engineers, commercial operatives, and finance professionals.
Purolite employs over 1,400 individuals world-wide and our Llantrisant site has now surpassed 250 staff in 2022. We expect to continue our expansion, after already increasing the local workforce by 55% as a commitment not only to quality, growing from 140 employees in 2021.
Commenting on the expansion, Chris Major, General Manager of the Bioprocessing division at Purolite, added, “we have ambitious plans in South Wales and now, more than ever, we are focused on supporting Wales’ extensive commercial potential, both through attracting external investment to the area and supporting our employees in their career and skills development. We are proud to be able to recruit the brightest minds in the industry, as well as help our existing teams to reach their maximum potential.”
The Royal Seal of Approval
The Queen’s Award for Enterprise is widely recognised as the UK’s highest honour to be bestowed on a UK company. Launched in the 1960s by the late Duke of Edinburgh, the Awards continue to hold a place of esteemed relevance in the fast-changing world of businesses today.
In the year of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, Purolite joined other prestigious companies to be recognised for demonstrating outstanding success in innovation and international trade, as well as the resilience has shown in unprecedented times.
We are honoured to have been given the royal seal of approval for
Enterprise in the International Trade as recognition for our growth and commercial success through international trade.
Innovative Business of the Year
To be singled out as Wales’
Innovative Business of the Year following the accolade of The Queen’s Award in April, is a huge honour.
The Wales Business of the Year Awards recognised Purolite’s approach to innovation and use of new technology, as evidenced in its adaptability to meet increased market demand and develop greener and more sustainable ways of operating and manufacturing its resins.
This acknowledgement, together with impressive plans to showcase success and establish Wales as a leader in resin-based technology, marks an significant achievement in Purolite’s history and will remain an inspiration to continue our work in contributing to better patient outcomes.
Donating to Maggie’s Cancer Centre
Many of us have experienced cancer in our lives, either directly or through family and friends. The weeks after diagnosis can be the most difficult and challenging time any of us can face and it isn’t always clear what support is out there.
Maggie’s offers free support and information, without appointment, for anyone living with cancer, including their friends and family. So far, they have helped patients claim £37.5 million in benefits, helping those suffering with cancer to live a normal life.
Maggie’s is a charity that is very close to the hearts of all of us working within Purolite. Maggie’s is a charity that is very close to the hearts of all of us working within Purolite. We are a critical supplier to the biopharmaceutical industry. Our resins play a crucial role in the production of vital cancer treatments. Every day we work to improve supply chains and production efficiencies. Every day we remind ourselves that there is a patient at the end of everything we do.
From bake sales to half-marathons, our staff will hosted a range of
fundraising activities to raise money for such an important cause,
New Partnership in Innovation Series
Alvotech becomes the first company to join Purolite in its new
Partnership in Innovation series, which recognises strong partnerships that support innovation and reliability.
Purolite and Alvotech have developed a strong partnership over several years, one fostered by a shared goal of improving the accessibility of essential biologic medicines. Purolite supplies its Praesto® line of agarose-based chromatography resins to Alvotech, which are purpose-designed for the purification of monoclonal antibodies and recombinant proteins.
This collaborative partnership model was invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic where supplier lead times were as high as 18 months, yet Purolite were able to supply its products in 3 months.
Purolite has over 6,000 business customers in over 50 countries worldwide and is looking forward to working more closely with companies like Alvotech in the future.
Looking Ahead to 2023
As a resins specialist with a long heritage of innovation, Purolite is ready to respond to any fast-paced market changes and new customer demands. We are constantly developing our resin products to provide new solutions to tackle a diverse range of biopharmaceutical manufacturing challenges.
We look forward to working with you, our customers, to understand how else we can support you in 2023.
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