Cultech Ltd – a fast growing Welsh biotechnology company – has created 25 jobs after winning a major contract from Boots Alliance, which is the latest in a string of successes notched up by the company.
The Baglan based manufacturer of nutritional supplements is now producing the Dome Cap range of twenty two nutritional supplements for sale in Boots stores throughout the UK.
It is one of its largest single contracts to date and new production facilities installed to fulfil the contract were supported by the Welsh Assembly Government through the Single Investment Fund.
It has resulted in a substantial turnover increase and the immediate creation of twenty five new jobs.
At the end of last year, Cultech purchased all the assets and intellectual property of Vega Nutritionals Ltd, an established supplier of an extensive range of speciality health products sold worldwide.
All Vega activities were transferred from Surrey to Cultech’s Baglan site without any job losses and UK and export sales – including newly introduced lines – are now rapidly increasing.
The company saw its turnover increase by £3million last year to more than £12million and it now employs more than 150 people at manufacturing plants in Baglan and Maesteg.
It plans to expand its core business as a contract manufacturer in the UK and overseas, investing in further R&D to support the growth of its business. It already supplies some of North America’s largest retailers of nutritional supplements and anticipates increasing exports from 40% to 50% over the next two to three years.
The news has been welcomed by Ieuan Wyn Jones, Minister for the Economy and Transport, who said Cultech was an important player in the healthcare and bioscience sector in Wales, which employs some 15,000 people and is worth around £1.3billion annually to the Welsh economy.
“It’s always good to hear of companies expanding and creating jobs particularly in the current economic climate and I am pleased the Assembly Government has provided the support needed to ensure Cultech was able to take advantage of new market opportunities.
“Cultech invests a substantial amount of revenue on research and development which enables it to develop highly innovative products and processes which is a vital for the long term success of any business.”
Cultech’s core business is the development, manufacture and supply of nutritional supplements in capsule, tablet, sachet liquid and other forms on a contract manufacturing basis to major branding companies in the UK and overseas.
Established in 1994 as a start up operation by Sue and Nigel Plummer its products are sold through large UK retailers such as Boots as well as health food chains and independent pharmacies.
Managing Director Nigel Plummer said support from the Assembly Government had proved crucial in the growth of the company.
“We could not have proceeded with some research projects without grant assistance and as a result the company has been able to grow substantially faster than would otherwise have been possible and we are very grateful for this support.”
He said Cultech operated in a highly competitive market but had continued to grow by providing specialist expertise in producing complex formulations in response to demand from its customs.
As a result, it has diversified and moved into new market segments exporting to North America, Europe and the Far East with recent developments into markets in the Middle East, Africa and South America.
He added that investment in R&D was a key factor in the success and growth of the company, which also carries out extensive research into the effectiveness of the active substances in its nutritional supplements through clinical trials.
Evidence based research is a key and unique selling point Mr Plummer said which provides Cultech with a substantial competitive advantage.
One of its most outstanding recent successes include the introduction of probiotic products called ProVen which help people with irritable bowel syndrome and a major range of omega-3 fish oil supplements without any taste of fish!
