AstraZeneca first announced its decision to sell the plant in March last year (2000), following a strategic review of global manufacturing operations, in which the company decided to focus all UK packaging within its major site at Macclesfield, Cheshire. All 115 employees at Corby have transferred to PCI.

The companies have also entered into a five-year agreement under which AstraZeneca will purchase packaging services from PCI. Financial terms for the deals were not disclosed.