Cognizant has announced that it has agreed to acquire life sciences manufacturing technology services company Zenith Technologies.
Headquartered in Cork, Ireland, Zenith Technologies specialises in implementing digital technologies to manage, control and optimise drug and medical device production for maximum operational efficiency and regulatory compliance.
The acquisition extends Cognizant’s capabilities for designing, implementing and managing end-to-end operational and information technology systems for connected biopharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers.
Interconnected smart factories have become a strategic priority for the industry, with production systems and processes becoming more complex because of research advances and increased demand for large-molecule biologics.
The combined Cognizant-Zenith Technologies expertise will deliver a range of Industry 4.0 capabilities, from factory design consultation, machine sensor instrumentation, supervisory control and data acquisition, to manufacturing execution systems (MES), batch automation, enterprise resource planning integration and managed services.
The company’s operating hubs in Ireland, Germany, India, Singapore, the US and other sites around the world are located near manufacturing facilities of many Cognizant clients. Cognizant is a leading services provider to the life sciences industry, working with all of the world’s top 30 life sciences companies.
Chief executive officer at Cognizant Brian Humphries said: “Industry 4.0 solutions, encompassing Internet of Things (IoT), automation and analytics, are a strategic focus area for Cognizant.
“In acquiring Zenith Technologies, we expand Cognizant’s IoT portfolio and extend our life sciences domain expertise by becoming a single-source provider of end-to-end smart factory capabilities. Together, we are better positioned to help clients realize information and operational technology convergence in their manufacturing operations, and advance the development of life-saving drugs, biologics, specialized pharmaceuticals and medical devices. We look forward to welcoming Zenith Technologies’ employees to Cognizant.”
Chief executive officer at Zenith Technologies Joe Haugh said: “In joining Cognizant, we are bringing together two respected life sciences service provider brands with complementary technology and manufacturing operations expertise.
“It’s an exciting time for us, with the life sciences industry embracing digital transformation to enable more flexible and efficient manufacturing facilities to bring new treatments to market faster. Our combined business will drive process excellence through tighter integration of manufacturing processes and systems, the efficient harnessing of information and analytics across the manufacturing value chain, and the adoption of IoT technologies delivering manufacturing 4.0.
“Together, we are well-positioned to help clients more efficiently produce life-changing medicines and medical devices for patients who need them most.”
The transaction is expected to close in Q3 2019, subject to satisfaction of closing conditions, including regulatory review. Financial details were not disclosed.
Founded in 1998, Zenith Technologies operates on five continents, with 16 locations around the globe. Zenith Technologies works with nine of the world’s ten largest biopharmaceutical manufacturers, implementing and supporting their manufacturing lifecycle software through its consultancy, manufacturing digital and automation systems integration, and manufacturing site services business lines.
Zenith Technologies was named “Pharma Supplier of the Year” at the 2018 Pharma Industry Awards, which acknowledge companies demonstrating innovation and excellence in the Irish biopharma industry.
Zenith Technologies’ more than 800 staff will become part of Cognizant’s Life Sciences business unit.