SOUDERTON — The Almac Group honored the history and legacy of a longtime local farming family on Thursday, Nov. 14 with a bridge dedication, as construction of the company’s expanded campus enters its next phase.
The 140-foot pedestrian bridge, which will connect the campus to a new parking area and preserve a bit of wetlands, was dedicated to the Kriebel family, the early owners of the land dating back to 1753. Six members of the Kriebel family attended the dedication alongside several of the company’s board members, two managing directors and Vice President of Operations Mark Rohfling.
“Amidst so much growth, the bridge dedication brings a welcome opportunity to reflect on the past,” said Rohfling. “Almac honors the legacy of the Kriebel family and the meaningful relationship we have been grateful to develop over many years.”
History of Almac
Based in Northern Ireland, Almac provides services to biopharmaceutical companies through all phases of the drug development process, including discovery, genetic testing, clinical trials and commercial manufacturing and distribution.
The company was founded in 2002 by Sir Allen McClay, a businessman and philanthropist from Northern Ireland. In 1968, McClay founded Galen Ltd, a pharmaceutical sales company focused on women’s healthcare in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Galen went on to become Northern Ireland’s first billion-dollar company.
In 2000, Galen acquired Warner Chilcott, a U.S.-based pharmaceutical company focused on product development. The acquisition prompted a shift away from pharmaceutical services, jeopardizing hundreds of jobs. In response, McClay resigned from the company, bought back Galen’s service units and formed Almac.
In its early years, Almac owned several buildings scattered throughout southeastern Pennsylvania. In 2004, during a period of rapid growth, a feasibility study underscored a need for a singular North American headquarters building.
“That study showed we really needed to expand and put our operations in one place for logistical reasons and efficiency, and that was one of Sir Allen McClay’s dreams,” said Mark Rodenberger, director of facilities. “He wanted to have this North American flagship headquarter company for Almac here in the United States.”
The idea received particular interest from Lower Salford Township, who pointed the company to the Kriebel family farm. Almac officials eventually began meeting directly with the Kriebels, including the father, Sam Kriebel.
“He was very welcoming. We had many discussions about the history of the property and how the whole area matured,” said Mark Rodenberger. “He had an idea of the property layout that he wanted to carve out, so we worked with him to come up with a 40-acre parcel.”
The project was bolstered by the friendship between Kriebel and McClay, who bonded over their shared farming backgrounds, said Rodenberger.
“They bonded just like old friends. They hopped in Sam’s golf cart and drove around the property, and Sam showed him where they wanted the property lines,” said Rodenberger. “They hit it off. It couldn’t have worked out any better.”
Following a series of meetings, the Kriebel family agreed to sell a 40-acre land parcel to Almac. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in 2008, with Kriebel, McClay and Governor Ed Rendell turning the first shovels of dirt. McClay passed away in January 2010, three years shy of Almac’s official opening in 2013. Kriebel passed away in March 2016.
Expansion project
Following the bridge dedication, six of Sam Kriebel’s children were treated to a tour of the expanded campus. The $65 million project will add 115,000 square feet of new building space to the campus, expanding its footprint by 50%. The expansion includes an investment in cold chain operations, just-in-time processing and analytical testing capabilities. The project is expected to be finished next year.
“Looking onward, our future in Souderton continues to be bright — we’re making excellent progress on our expansion,” said Rohlfing. “We are proud that this investment ensures our ability to serve the next generation needs of our clients, and ultimately patients across the globe. We’re also proud of what this means locally — as we continue to expect headcount growth as we progress into our exciting next chapter.”
“This marks an important milestone, and we can’t honor the growth of Almac and what we’ve done without honoring the Kriebel family,” added Rodenberger. “That’s why it’s such an important part of our history and future. We want to keep them in lockstep with everything we do.”
