Dumfriesshire Chemical Plant Gets Reprieve

Tuesday April 2011, 00:00:00

A long established pharmaceutical plant in Annan in Dumfriesshire which had been threatened with closure could soon be back in business as a result of a takeover bid, with moves to recruit new staff and personnel underway. The bidding company Bakhu Pharma Ltd which is based in Stockport is now in negotiation with the administrator. The spokesperson at Bakhu Pharma explained: “Our Company has purchased the intellectual property rights belonging to Phoenix Chemicals Ltd, which entered administration in January, and is currently negotiating the purchase of its 154-acre production site at Newbie.” After the announcement of the closure several months ago seven of the 34 employees were immediately made redundant, but further job losses have left just a skeleton staff of eight on site. At its height the site which was opened in 1978 by Glaxo Laboratories employed around 250 people. It was taken over by Chirex, then Rhodia Chirex, and then Rhodia Pharma Solutions in 1997.