Shots:

• Sheri talked about the opening of the new distribution center in Dublin, Ireland. The opening of the center highlighted Avantor’s continued investment to expand its global footprint strengthening its ability to provide essential products and services to the markets
• Dr. Ger Brophy spoke about the key benefits of the center to global biopharma customers. The facility will create 40 new jobs, adding to the 200 associates the company currently employs in Ireland
• The interview shows Avantor is working to provide its products and services to customers in the biopharma, healthcare, education & government, and advanced technologies & applied materials industries

Smriti: Can you discuss your recent opening of the distribution center in Dublin, Ireland?

Sheri Lewis: Yes. The nearly 69,000-square-foot facility is Avantor’s most recent investment in expanding its global footprint to both meet customer needs and support the future growth of both Avantor and our customers. The Dublin distribution center’s on-site storage capacity and capabilities are the most advanced in our global network. Dublin’s strategic location, in close proximity to many of our customers, further assures the security of supply by enabling us to reach the majority of the more than 300,000 customer locations we support within 24 hours, if needed. 

Smriti: Please tell us the reason behind building a new facility in Ireland.

Dr. Ger Brophy: Ireland has the second largest bioproduction manufacturing output in the world after the U.S. Many biomanufacturers choose Ireland as a commercial manufacturing hub due to its established infrastructure.  The new Dublin facility reflects our commitment to meeting customer needs while also building capacity to meet current demand and in anticipation of continued growth.

Smriti: What new facility will offer along with 40 new jobs serving the life sciences, medtech, distribution, and supply chain sectors?

Sheri Lewis: The Dublin facility is our second in Ireland and expands our current 76,000 square feet of capacity with 69,000 square feet of new capacity and streamlines ordering processes for our customers.  It brings critical new capabilities to this key market, is certified to Good Distribution Practice (cGDP) standards, and uses best-in-class technologies to store and manage inventory.

The facility also adds expanded warehousing capability for current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) certified products, batch-to-batch traceability and customized palletization capabilities, and inbound and outbound product quality inspections and vendor-managed inventory solutions. On-site clean rooms enable customers to conduct raw material sampling to expedite a quality inspection and material receipt.

Smriti: Highlight the key benefits to the customers and how you strengthen the ability to provide essential products and services to the markets.

Dr. Ger Brophy: Avantor’s value is our ability to support global biopharma customers from discovery to delivery. As the leading global materials provider to the growing bioproduction industry, it is vital that we are responsive to customer needs in key markets such as Ireland while also having the capacity to meet growing demand in the region.  This investment in the Dublin distribution center reflects our commitment to the industry, our customers and to supporting anticipated growth in the region.

Smriti: Briefly highlight your role in the development of Ireland's life science ecosystem.

Dr. Ger Brophy: Ireland is a world-leading hub for the life science and medtech sectors. We have a long history of supporting these industries in Ireland, tracing our heritage in the country back to 1998. There is a highly talented and skilled workforce in the country, and our continued investments in Ireland support these growing industries as they evolve.

Smriti: Discuss your recent focus to our readers about the continued investment to support the biopharma market & customers from discovery to delivery.

Dr. Ger Brophy: A large portion of our business supports the biopharmaceutical industry. As the leading materials provider to the growing bioproduction industry, we are embedded in virtually every stage of research, scale-up, and manufacturing – and support our customers in bringing products to market more quickly and safely through our global network and our comprehensive portfolio of high-quality products. Our new Ireland distribution center strengthens our ability to expedite access to the essential materials needed to bring breakthrough treatments and therapies to patients globally.

Smriti: Can you discuss your upcoming plans for a high-quality upcoming career opportunity at future locations?

Sheri Lewis: We continue to invest in our capabilities and capacity to support growing markets in regions where customer demand is increasing – this includes the global talent to help move science forward. Whether associates are engaged at a distribution site or a manufacturing site, we are committed to supporting our customers wherever they are growing. Our current global footprint includes more than 200 manufacturing, distribution, and sales centers in more than 30 countries worldwide, and talent is the key to a strong and healthy workforce globally.

Image Source: Canva 

About the Authors: 

Sheri Lewis

Sheri Lewis is the Executive Vice President, Global Supply Chain at Avantor. Ms. Lewis is responsible for all aspects of global operations, including supply chain S&OP, distribution, transportation and logistics, inventory optimization, and overall strategy and execution. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management from Concordia University. She also completed the Leading Global Businesses Program at Harvard Business School.

Dr. Ger Brophy

Dr. Ger Brophy is the Executive Vice President, Biopharma Production at Avantor. In his current role, Dr. Brophy is responsible for developing and implementing our Biopharma Production offering to support the current and future needs of our customers. Dr. Brophy earned a Bachelor of Science in biotechnology, as well as a doctorate in molecular biology from Dublin City University in Ireland.

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