The Wasdell Group is a fast-growing Swindon, UK-based contract service partner offering end-to-end supply chain services and currently operating across multiple sites in Europe.
 
The contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) offers a range of technical, manufacturing, packaging and storage and distribution services and its recent major investments include building its first site outside of the UK, expanding its clinical capabilities across all phases and adding an on-site laboratory at its Newcastle site.
 
A little more than a year ago Wasdell appointed Vincent Dunne as its new chief executive officer, responsible for advancing the next era of international growth for the company.
 
He arrived at Wasdell with over 20 years’ experience in senior roles within the pharmaceutical sector, leaving his position at Shire Pharmaceuticals, where he was vice president of global materials management and international supply chain for almost a decade.
 
Contract Pharma had the chance recently to talk with Vincent about joining the company and his plans to drive future growth.
 
Contract Pharma (CP): You joined Wasdell back in November 2018. How has the business changed in your first year?
 
Vincent Dunne (VD): This past year has been a pivotal year for the Wasdell Group, marked by significant growth and investment. This year alone we have built our new European headquarters in Ireland and acquired Honeywood Limited, a contract manufacturer and packer in the UK that further expands our liquid manufacturing capabilities and adds additional packaging opportunities.
 
The addition of our 90,000 sq. ft. facility in Ireland supports our ongoing expansion strategy, bringing substantial capacity to our group to meet growing demand. Our Ireland facility also mitigates all risks associated with Brexit and EU supply.
 
Over the past year we have remained focused on small batch, niche clinical and commercial supply, which is a specialism of ours. We have also broadened our service offering to support our customers with their entire supply chain from clinical and commercial manufacturing to packaging and distribution. 
 
CP: You have moved from a position at a large pharmaceutical company to the contract service arena. What influenced this decision?
 
VD: First and foremost, the attraction of working with a fast-growing company, with an excellent reputation in an expanding market was very appealing to me. Paired with the prospect of guiding the very experienced leadership team at Wasdell in the execution of an ambitious strategy, I knew the move was the right fit for me. The last twelve months have been momentous, and I am excited by the growth strategy that we have planned for the group.
 
CP: What are the current issues you are seeing on a day-to-day basis for the industry?
 
VD: We see the market continuing to expand with customers seeking solutions that are flexible and agile as order quantities and lead-times shrink. There is no doubt that Brexit and the FMD / serialization deadline had an impact on the industry last year, but we have also seen our customers choosing to outsource more activities that were traditionally kept in-house. Companies are also keen to develop longer-term relationships as they see CDMOs as key partners in the execution of their strategy; we are working with our customers and suppliers on a daily basis to improve supply to market.
 
CP: How does the industry need to change in order to respond effectively to these challenges?
 
VD: CDMOs need to continue to strengthen their service offerings, including regulatory support and market intelligence. Shrinking order quantities and lead times will also drive the need for end-to-end responsiveness throughout the supply chain, and increased collaboration with all partners. At Wasdell, we ensure that our suppliers adopt an agile methodology in order to respond effectively to demand. As we expand our in-house capacity, we will continue to focus on flexible solutions to support changing customer requirements.
 
CP: Where do you see the industry in five years and how do you think it will impact outsourcing relationships?
 
VD: The growth in biologics and clinical packaging continues to outpace our traditional target industry sectors, with customers requiring more specialised novel solutions, including the ability to kit products with components, adding additional supply chain complexity. There is also an emergence of specialised packaging requirements for small molecules, with smaller batch sizes and unique packaging including anti-counterfeit technology. The market is also expecting CDMOs to bring solutions and to be more pro-active in leading technology introduction.
 
CP: Wasdell is fast-growing and diversifying as a company. What can the industry expect from Wasdell in the years to come?
 
VD: The industry will continue to expand, with our market intelligence suggesting that our traditional target market will grow by circ. 5% per annum. We are also successfully targeting new market areas, such as biological and clinical packaging, as well as increasing our service offering so we can support our customers with their entire supply chain requirements. We will continue to execute on our growth plans, with predicted double-digit growth supported by a combination of organic growth and targeted acquisitions.