Seamless integration of a newly acquired manufacturing site for a Contract Development & Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO)

Business transformation

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As part of its strategic growth initiative, our CDMO client acquired a primary manufacturing site in Ireland from a global Big Pharma company. The acquisition aimed to significantly boost our client’s production capacity and strengthen its position as a leading provider of pharmaceutical development and manufacturing services.

The transition, however, involved disentangling a well-established site from a complex corporate infrastructure — with stringent timelines, local compliance challenges, and a rigid transitional services agreement (TSA) in place.

Helixr was brought in as the trusted transformation partner to lead and deliver the integration.

The challenge

This was a high-stakes integration effort with a number of significant hurdles:
Disentanglement from Big Pharma systems - The acquired site was deeply embedded in the seller’s global systems, processes, and controls — making separation technically and operationally complex.
Local regulatory compliance - Adapting to Ireland’s regulatory landscape while maintaining operational continuity was critical.
Rigid TSA structure - The tight timelines and limited flexibility of the TSA meant speed and precision were essential to avoid business disruption.
Need for rapid value realisation - The business required a fast, stable cutover to the target operating model to minimise downtime and start realising value from the acquisition.

Our approach

Helixr deployed a seasoned team with deep expertise in integration, pharma operations, and SAP program delivery. We focused on achieving a clean and controlled transition across key dimensions:
Integration Planning - Developed a comprehensive roadmap covering systems, people, processes, and compliance.
Day 1 Planning & Execution - Defined and delivered Day 1 readiness to ensure the site remained fully operational from the moment ownership transferred.
IT Architecture & System Fit - Assessed the existing technology stack and mapped to the target’s enterprise architecture to determine fit, reusability, and integration pathways.
Process Analysis & Gap Fit - Identified deviations between existing site operations and the buyer’s standard ways of working, prioritising areas for standardisation or enhancement.
SAP Project Delivery – Working with their SAP partner, delivered the full SAP implementation ensuring alignment across finance, manufacturing, supply chain, and quality.
Process Improvement - Streamlined legacy processes inherited from the previous owner, with a focus on scalability, compliance, and operational efficiency.
Cutover & Delivery Management - Led detailed cutover planning and execution to avoid disruption, ensuring continuity of manufacturing and supply.
Integration Management Office (IMO) - Established a central governance and coordination function to manage stakeholders, track progress, and ensure accountability across workstreams.

The outcome

Due to Helixr’s leadership and structured delivery approach, the site integration was completed with the following benefits delivered:
Smooth and compliant transition to Buyer’s ownership and systems
Zero downtime across manufacturing and quality operations
Aligned business processes and technology across the group
Enhanced capacity brought online rapidly and efficiently

Why Helixr?

At Helixr, we specialise in navigating complex integrations particularly in highly regulated industries like life sciences. Our deep experience in integration, SAP delivery, and operational transformation ensures that even the most challenging transitions are executed with precision and confidence.

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