Portfolio
Nature of Business
Xellia is an Oslo-based global supplier and developer of anti-infective drugs, in active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and final dosage presentation. The business employs over 800 staff and serves over 600 customers in 60 countries. Its clients include a range of national, multinational and global pharmaceutical and generics companies. Xellia currently operates from four production sites – in Denmark, Hungary, Norway and China – and has sales offices in Budapest, Chicago, Copenhagen, New Jersey, Oslo, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo and Zagreb.
Investment Overview
Xellia was created in 2008 when 3i backed the €258m EV buyout from NYSE-listed Alpharma Inc. with the objective of developing Xellia from a supplier of niche APIs into a broad-based speciality pharmaceutical company.
Immediately following the original buyout, we supported Xellia in shaping the post-buyout organisation structure of the business. To this end we have leveraged our international network of senior executives and sector experts to introduce a new Board of Directors, a non-executive Chairman and a revised management team, including four new VPs and an experienced CFO, to support the CEO in delivering ambitious growth plans.
3i Senior adviser, Peter Chambré has been appointed as non-executive Chairman and 3i Partner Tomas Ekman has joined the Board.
We have subsequently strengthened the business by investing to improve margins through forward integration, broaden the product range and supported a relocation of production to low-cost countries to drive cost optimisation. We have also initiated a ‘lean’ manufacturing project aimed at increasing capacity and improving operational performance.
