Pictured above: Jane Grady, head of life sciences UKTI
with Dr Janette Waterhouse (Chief Operating Office) and Paul Titley
(Chief Executive Officer) of R5 Pharmaceuticals
A national award for export success has gone to R5
Pharmaceuticals, the Nottingham-based bio-science company which has
increased sales abroad by a staggering 1000%.
One of several national awards presented by Medilink UK on 11th
March, the 'Export Achievement' category was sponsored by UK Trade
& Investment and adds to the growing number of business
trophies won by the R5 team.
This latest accolade recognises the firm's ability to secure new
clients in the US, Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand as well
as mainland Europe. Pharmaceutical companies turn to R5 when they
need a new form of drug delivery for clinical trials, be it as
tablets, capsules, powder, liquid, cream or injection. With sales
of nearly £3 million and a staff base of 47, the company
plans to expand further on the back of overseas orders which
already account for 75% of turnover.
"Winning feels great," says Chief Executive Paul Titley. "A
national award at this point in our company's growth is well
deserved by the staff working day-to-day at our BioCity Nottingham
labs. Our ethos is never to say no and we are always looking for
opportunities to solve customer problems. This approach appears to
have paid off."
R5 have made the most of the help available from Medilink East
Midlands, UKTI and East Midlands Development Agency (emda). A
Medilink connection with De Montfort University enabled a saving of
twenty thousand pounds to improve a delivery device, whilst the
UKTI helped the company to become recognised in France as a source
of scientific services. With a recent Grant for Research and
Development (GRD), secured through emda, the company is well
positioned for growth.
"Competition for a Medilink UK award is extremely tough," says
Dr Darren Clark chief executive of Medilink East Midlands, "but we
now have leading life sciences companies based here in the region
and can expect great things of them. R5 have wisely taken advantage
of all the services Medilink East Midlands provides, including
networking events, exhibitions and international trade shows."
Speaking on behalf of UKTI, International Trade Director Peter
Hogarth said: "R5 Pharmaceuticals is a credit to the region and to
the UK. Their ability to grasp international trade opportunities is
exemplary, and just the kind of export activity we need to
encourage as the economy climbs out of recession."