Contest names top manufactories

Pfizer roared to two top spots in the 2010 facility of the year competition, thanks to its factories on the Emerald Isle. The big pharma topped its competitors in the sustainability and facility integration categories based on its plants in County Cork and Dublin, respectively.

Biogen Idec captured top honors in the operational excellence category for its facility in Research Triangle Park. Genentech was named winner in the project execution category for its Tuas, Singapore, plant, and MannKind secured both equipment and process innovation honors for its Connecticut facility. The annual program is sponsored by ISPE, INTERPHEX, and Pharmaceutical Processing magazine.

Of the Pfizer winners, the Biotechnology Ireland site in Cork is a monoclonal antibody small-scale facility that was built using sustainability best practices and the company's green building guidelines, which call for re-use of existing assets, waste minimization, and recycling in both construction and operations. Energy-efficient equipment and minimized air change rates are also part of the guidelines.

The Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals aseptic expansion project in Dublin integrates a new production module, warehouse, central utilities building, and personnel support facility within the surrounding community and the operations of Pfizer's existing Dun Laoghaire site, with no impact to manufacturing output.

- see the announcement