Press release: Alun Cairns: “The UK Government will carry out its duty to protect Welsh industries as we leave the EU”

Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns will visit Bridgend-based PCI Pharma Services later today (Monday 3 September) to underline the UK government’s commitment to support the Welsh business community as the UK prepares to leave the European Union.

The visit follows the UK Government’s publication of its White Paper in July, outlining the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union. Last week, the Government published a series of technical notices with information to allow businesses and citizens to understand what they would need to do in the unlikely event of a ‘no deal’ scenario.

During the visit, the Welsh Secretary will tour the site and speak to senior leaders and members of staff about how the White Paper proposal will ensure a deep and long future relationship with the EU, making sure that Wales and the rest of the UK is best placed to make the most of the opportunities ahead while taking back control of our laws, borders and money.

PCI Pharma Services (PCI) is a full-service provider of specialist outsourced drug manufacturing, clinical trial services, and commercial packaging to the global healthcare industry. PCI’s Bridgend site provides extensive services in support of Clinical investigational medicines, including secondary packaging and labelling expertise, storage and global distribution, coupled with its capability for supporting a considerable range of Cold Chain and Ultra Cold chain product needs, including the expertise and infrastructure to support preparation, storage and global distribution of advanced medicines with cryogenic temperature requirements down to -196ºC.

The company also has facilities in Hay on Wye, Tredegar and Treforest, as well as sites in Rockford and Philadelphia in the US, Dublin, Ireland and Melbourne, Australia. The Welsh Secretary met representatives from the US sites during a three-day visit to New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania in February this year.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

This Government is committed to delivering a Brexit that promotes jobs and prosperity, keeps our people safe and protects the precious Union between the four nations of the UK, while taking back control of our money, laws and borders.

PCI Pharma is a global leader in the pharmaceutical field, providing packaging and drug development expertise to companies around the world. It is an important employer in this region of Wales and makes a significant contribution to the Welsh economy. My ambition is for this to continue long after we leave the European Union.

Dr Fiona Withey, Vice Present of Global Clinical Strategy at PCI Pharma is a regular contributor on the Secretary of State’s Economic Advisory Board and Expert Panel, to advise on how Wales can capitalise on the benefits of the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy, as well as opportunities arising from leaving the EU.

Dr Withey said:

PCI has followed the Brexit negotiations with great interest, as have our global pharmaceutical and biotech clients. As a provider of services supporting medicines destined to more than 100 countries around the world, PCI is uniquely positioned to ensure a seamless supply chain to our clients for all potential outcomes. We support lifesaving commercial medicines, as well as those for investigational Clinical studies, to patients all over the world.

We appreciate the time and attention Secretary Cairns has paid to facilitating dialogue and communication with companies like ourselves, as well as ensuring the parties reach an agreeable outcome, with focus on safeguarding the continuity of timely delivery for critical medication to patients.

ENDS