Aranjuez
Ercros' pharmaceutical division's headquarters and production centre
75th anniversary of the factory
The Aranjuez factory, a pioneer in the manufacture of antibiotics in Spain
The factory in Aranjuez (Madrid) is part of the pharmaceuticals division of Ercros and started its activity in 1951, becoming the first Spanish company to manufacture penicillin.
Today, this factory is dedicated to the production and sale of generic active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), mainly in the field of antibiotics. It is also active in the anti-ulcer, antihypertensive and antifungal segments, and in customised APIs and intermediates, known as contract manufacturing.
It is the world's second largest producer of fusidic acid and the third largest producer of fosfomycin. It exports virtually all of its production mainly to the EU, the US, the Middle East and North Africa.
The plant has three multi-purpose synthesis and fermentation plants, a sterile product production and blending plant, and a laboratory and R&D centre. The factory's overall production capacity is around 430,000 kg/year.
It employs more than 200 people.
In figures
The key figures of the Aranjuez factory
Workforce
Annual production capacity
Exports
Company manufacturing antibiotics in Spain
A bit of history
Compañía Española de Penicilicilina y Antibióticos (Cepa) in collaboration with the American company Merck & Co. Inc. wins a tender called by the Spanish government to develop a national antibiotics industry and becomes the first company to manufacture penicillin in Spain.
Inauguration of the Aranjuez factory, under the ownership of Cepa, with the most advanced equipment and processes. Its production capacity is 1.5 million vials of crystallised sodium penicillin per month.
After several expansions of its facilities, the initial production of penicillin is doubled to meet the needs of the Spanish market.
Cepa, together with Merck, is developing a new antibiotic, fosfomycin, a market in which the Aranjuez factory will be one of the world leaders.
Start of industrial-scale production of fosfomycin and, two years later, of a new antibiotic, erythromycin.
Cepa is acquired by Unión Explosivos Río Tinto, S.A. (ERT), the predecessor of Ercros.
As a result of the merger of ERT and S.A. Cros to form Ercros, Cepa is split into two companies. One of them, Fermentaciones y Síntesis Españolas, S.A. (Fyse), retains the API manufacturing and the Aranjuez factory facilities and joins Ercros.
Industrial-scale production of the erythromycin derivatives, azithromycin and clarithromycin, begins.
Commercialisation of fusidic acid begins.
A new multi-purpose plant is commissioned to manufacture synthesis products. This considerably increases the centre's production volume.
Industrial production of fosfomycin trometamol begins.
Inauguration of a sterile product mixing and packaging plant.
Expansion of the fermentation capacity and the synthetic products plant. A new sterile products plant is commissioned to replace the existing one.
Celebration of the 75th anniversary and inauguration of the new extraction plant, with an annual production capacity of 150,000 kilos.
Certificates of the Aranjuez factory
The distinctive marks that endorse this factory's commitment to sustainability.
Contact the factory
If you would like to visit or contact us, you can start here.
Paseo del Deleite, s/n
28300 Aranjuez (Madrid)
Tel: +34 918 090 340
Email: aranjuez@ercros.es
