Coup for Irish firm as it wins Chinese pharma contract

Irish firm Wilson Architecture has won a major design contract in China for over 1 million sq ft of HQ, lab and R&D buildings, as part of an enormous new 8.5 million sq ft bio-pharma campus.

The design coup for Qilu Pharmaceutical Company at its Jinan campus was confirmed this week, during the visit of President Michael D Higgins to China. Qilu is one of China’s leading pharmaceutical companies, specialising in the manufacture of generic drugs. Qilu’s new greenfield Bio Pharma campus in Jinan will have the Wilson Architecture-designed high-rise buildings at front-of-house: they’ll house four multi-storey laboratories, R&D buildings and functions, and the Qilu company’s HQ, totalling 100,000 sq m of highly serviced technical spaces.

Based in Cork, Wilson Architecture has 25 years experience in the pharmaceutical and life sciences markets in Ireland, UK and Europe. MD Frank O’Mahony said: “We identified opportunities for architectural services in international markets such as China, and Wilson opened a design office in Dalian, in the north east of China, where we have completed several design commissions, for local government and corporate clients. In particular, the rapidly-expanding pharmaceutical sector in China offers huge potential, and Enterprise Ireland has been highly supportive in helping us research this market, and in securing this important new contract with Qilu Pharmaceutical.”

Qilu Pharmaceutical is in the Top Five in China, with 2014 sales of up to CNY10Bn. Ingredients are exported to up to 60 countries, and to meet growth Jinan-based Qilu decided on a new greenfield bio pharma campus, covering a building area of 800,000m².

CEO of Enterprise Ireland Julie Sinnamon said the partnership between Wilson Architecture and Qilu confirms the capability of the Irish construction services sector to service international markets. “Enterprise Ireland has strongly encouraged Irish construction services companies like Wilson Architecture to internationalise their businesses and has provided significant market research assistance to help them explore new export opportunities.”

“Many have succeeded in developing inroads in a wide number of global markets. This announcement is an example of what can be achieved.”

Details: www.wilsonarchitecture.ie