Sigma Pharmaceuticals plc was awarded the 2017 Pharmaceutical Industry Network Group (PING) Innovation Award this week.

The award recognises and supports innovation and excellence in the pharmaceutical and life sciences supply chain.

Sigma was chosen as the winner by an independent panel in recognition of the level of innovation demonstrated in the design and assembly of the new picking/packing warehouse development in Watford which is due to go operational in September 2017.

The presentation was made to Dr Bharat Shah, Sigma’s managing director by PING founder and chair, Paul Gershlick, who is also a partner at the law firm Veale Wasbrough Vizards.

Gershlick explained why Sigma had been the outright winner: "Sigma won the PING Innovation Award this year due to its new site being the first of its kind in Britain to merge Falsified Medicines Directive standards into the operation.  The Directive will come into force in February 2019 and Sigma is already implementing this standard as "normal" from the launch date." 

Bharat Shah added: “We’re very proud to be the recipients of this prestigious award from PING that recognises excellence and innovation. As a wholesaler to the independent sector, we take service delivery and compliance issues very seriously, hence the substantial investment into FMD integration in our new plant. This new way of delivering medicines and drugs is designed to make life easier for pharmacists and to make tracking and accountability a daily routine.  ”

The award, now in its 3rd year, is supported by the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, which sponsors PING.