In early 2020, Kuijpers delivered the new cleanroom for ADD Apotheek in Roosendaal. In this compounding pharmacy, staff prepare medications for home administration, based on hospital referrals. The new cleanroom is an expansion of existing activities and had already been planned in 2019—well before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The cleanroom was built within the pharmacy’s existing building. The main contractor was Professional Partners for Cleanrooms (PP4C), a collaboration between several renowned companies that play key roles in designing, constructing, and outfitting cleanrooms. Kuijpers was one of them (responsible for the design and construction of the technical installations), along with Brecon Group, which handled the structural part of the assignment for ADD Apotheek.
The combined expertise resulted in a cleanroom equipped with a central area and various hygiene barriers such as material airlocks and changing rooms for staff. In the individual compounding rooms, all facilities are in place to prevent contamination and to safely handle sterile preparations.
For example, a high-quality exhaust system in fume hoods ensures that staff are not exposed to pharmaceuticals, and advanced airflow systems in crossflow cabinets allow them to safely prepare complete batches.
Kuijpers was responsible for the complete design of the cleanroom technology. “All installations and systems are placed on walkable ceilings,” says Vincent van der Molen, project manager at Kuijpers. “This includes systems for air handling, cooling, and heating. In the design, we deliberately opted for a spacious layout of all cabinets, ducts, and pipes to ensure enough room for future maintenance.” Kuijpers also handled the building control systems and electrical installations such as the evacuation and fire alarm systems, lighting, and power supply.
While cleanroom staff can now rely on extremely clean conditions in their new facility, hygiene was also a top priority during construction. Vincent: “On projects like this, a clean regime is crucial. Eating or drinking on the construction site is strictly prohibited. Moreover, we tighten hygiene measures as the project progresses. For example, we disinfect ourselves before entering a room and, in the final phases, we wear white suits and gloves—even if it’s just to adjust a power outlet.” Once the cleanroom is complete, a final six-day cleaning takes place. Only then can a cleanroom facility like the one Kuijpers built for ADD Apotheek be put into use.
For ADD Apotheek, that moment came after six months of construction and installation. The facility is suitable for dozens of staff who prepare medications for home patients in accordance with current standards and GMP guidelines. The swift completion of the project was largely due to the client’s involvement. The construction team maintained close contact with ADD Apotheek, enabling quick decision-making.