The US$120m, 240,000ft2 headquarters houses more than 800 people and has already brought approximately 300 new employees to the greater Philadelphia region.
Almac employs more than 3,000 people worldwide, including more than 1,100 people based in the US.
Former US Senator George Mitchell, who most recently served as Special Envoy to the Middle East and was chairman of the all-party negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, officially opened the building.
Commenting on the new facility, Mitchell said: ‘Almac’s founder Sir Allen McClay had a real vision for this company, and the building we are dedicating today will be a fitting monument to his life and work. This facility will be important not only to the economy of Pennsylvania, but also to the health of people all over the world.’
Several other dignitaries also participated in the grand opening, including Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development secretary Alan Walker, who attended on behalf of Pennsylvania governor Tom Corbett, and Almac chief executive Alan Armstrong.
‘Because of our commitment to companies like Almac, Pennsylvania is recognised as a biopharmaceutical leader and a hub of ground-breaking research and innovative companies that are making incredible advances,’ said Walker.
‘Almac’s new North American headquarters represents the largest investment a Northern Ireland firm has made in the United States.’
Armstrong added: ‘Sir Allen McClay once said, ‘If you’re going to launch a big ship, you have to go where the water is deep.’
‘He loved growth, development, success and quality. And we'll see all of that in this building.’
Lady Heather McClay, wife of the late Sir Allen McClay, dedicated three unique pieces of stained glass commissioned especially for the headquarters.
She said: ‘The installation is a wonderful tribute to Allen’s achievements and of those he called the Almac family. We are honoured to be joined by Senator Mitchell, who has played a key role in moving Northern Ireland into a new era. His work as Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast makes his presence here today particularly fitting as that institution was very close to Allen’s heart.’
The glass works, designed to represent Almac’s growth into a world leader in advancing human health, are interwoven with scientific references, symbols associated with Northern Ireland, as well as images from the official crest of Pennsylvania.
The North American headquarters, comprising a three-storey office and administration building, as well as a building for the production, analysis and distribution of clinical trial supplies, was designed by Francis Cauffman Architects of Philadelphia and built by Skanska USA. It strives to maintain sustainability throughout, with low greenhouse gas emissions and a full water reclamation programme in place.
