Almac Pharmaceutical Services: Selecting the right ERP for a complex, regulated environment

Almac Pharmaceutical Services needed an ERP system that could meet the demands of a highly regulated industry while supporting rapid growth across UK and US operations.

The client

A member of the Almac Group, Almac Pharmaceutical Services (Almac PS) is a fast-growing Contract Drug Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO) based near Belfast, Northern Ireland. The business employs around 1,700 people across four sites in the UK and the US.

Operating within the highly regulated Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences sector, Almac PS must adhere to stringent compliance, quality, and data standards – all of which impact their system requirements and operational processes.

Gradient worked with Almac PS to guide a structured ERP selection process – identifying gaps, managing vendor engagement, and helping the organisation confidently select the right solution and implementation partner.

Service: ERP Selection, Gaps & Opportunities Analysis

Industry: manufacturing, health

Location: UK & US

Website: almacgroup.com

The challenge

Following significant growth, particularly in project-based activities, Almac PS had outgrown its legacy business systems. They were operating with multiple disparate, non-integrated applications that lacked the functionality, integration, and controls required to support efficient, compliant operations. In particular, they needed:

  • Modern planning and scheduling that enabled integrated project and process manufacturing

  • Enhanced forecasting and demand planning
  • Full traceability to meet GxP and CDMO regulations
  • Stronger data management and reporting
  • An efficient Purchase-to-Pay process
  • Improved workflow and business process management
  • A fully integrated platform to unify operations
  • Embedded business intelligence, with AI capabilities where appropriate

These challenges made it clear that a modern ERP solution was essential to enable Almac’s next phase of development.

The solution

Gradient ran its proven 'Spec & Select' ERP selection process, customised to suit the needs of Almac PS and the regulatory requirements of the life sciences sector. Building on Almac’s existing documentation, the approach enabled effective engagement across departments and vendor candidates.

The approach

Gradient delivered a structured, collaborative process that included:

  • Discovery workshops held over three weeks to build on Almac’s documented “as-is” processes, identifying pain points, system disconnects and areas for improvement
  • A Gaps and Opportunities Report outlining where ERP could add value and highlighting future implementation objectives
  • A detailed Statement of Requirements, issued to five candidate vendors, enabling a quantified comparison of system functionality and projected investment
  • Assessment and analysis of vendor responses, guiding the shortlisting of two systems for in-depth demonstration
  • Coordination and facilitation of structured vendor demos, based on an agreed agenda
  • Final decision support, bringing together all process inputs to enable a confident and informed choice of preferred ERP system and partner

The result

Almac PS gained clarity, control, and confidence throughout what could have been a complex and high-risk project. Gradient helped the team navigate diverse operational needs across a regulated environment and delivered:

  • A managed, structured selection process that balanced rigour with flexibility
  • Analysable data from a wide range of inputs to guide decision-making
  • Clear guidance and insights throughout vendor engagement and evaluation
  • A valuable external perspective on process improvement opportunities
  • Confidence in the final choice of system and implementation partner

Almac PS is now positioned with an ERP platform that aligns with its operational, regulatory, and growth ambitions.

“Gradient were able to navigate to the core of what makes Almac distinctive, identify our current challenges and the opportunities for our future development, and quantify our selection of the best system and partner to support our ongoing growth and development as an organisation.”

Mark Hanley, Director - Business Process Excellence, Almac PS

“I would highly recommend [Gradient] if you want confidence in your ERP system selection activity, whilst also gaining external insight as to where opportunities for improvement and therefore key objectives for an implementation lie. Almac are now well positioned for the next phase.”

Mark Hanley, Almac PS