Arran marks 40 years in Athlone

Arran Chemical Company (Arran), a member of the Almac Group, is celebrating 40 years in operation in Athlone.

Originally founded in 1984 by Dr Anthony Owens, Almac acquired the company in 2015.

Arran has grown significantly under Almac’s ownership - having invested over €20 million to date; revenues have more than trebled and employee numbers have grown from 45 to 125 people.

Arran is a named manufacturer of key building blocks that go into over 30 different commercial drugs ranging from products that are used to treat hypertension, cardiovascular issues, renal problems and epilepsy among others. It also manufactures aroma chemicals for the fragrances industry used in high-end perfumes and a range of fine chemicals used by the contact lens sector.

Dr. Stephen Barr, President and Managing Director of Almac Sciences said: “We are delighted Arran has reached this operational milestone and are proud of our global reputation for excellence built over these 40 years.

“Almac is fully committed to growth and expansion within Athlone across both our Arran and Almac Sciences Ireland (formerly Bioclin) facilities.”

Martin McCabe, Director of Manufacturing Operations for Arran, added: “It has been my privilege to be part of Arran since its inception. I have seen the company grow in chemical manufacturing for 40 years – most significantly since the acquisition by Almac and the company’s subsequent capital investment.

“I also echo my thanks to our great team here in Athlone and to my colleagues in Craigavon, clients and key stakeholders. We look forward to reaching new milestones and making further advancements across the business.”