Watson to expand Salt Lake City facility in US$44m investment
Aims to triple annual manufacturing batch capacity
Watson Pharmaceuticals is set to expand its Watson Laboratories plant in Salt Lake City, Utah in a US$44m investment that will take its products into selected international markets
This facility carries out pharmaceutical research, development and manufacturing for the firm’s transdermal patches and topical gels.
The expansion includes upgrading approximately 20,000ft2 of existing space and the construction of around 17,000ft2 of future manufacturing space.
Watson says the expansion could ultimately result in the addition of around 300 employees within the next 3–5 years. There are currently around 175 people at the facility.
The move also supports a potential tripling in annual manufacturing batch capacity to support future new products, including the generic version of the Lidoderm transdermal pain management product, which could be launched next year.
Paul Bisaro, Watson Pharmaceuticals’ president and chief executive, said Salt Lake City is the firm’s centre of excellence for the manufacture of branded and generic pharmaceutical products that use topical or transdermal patch drug delivery technologies.
‘This expansion not only supports our near-term product manufacturing and packaging needs, but also positions us to more efficiently meet anticipated future consumer demand for products that are currently in various stages of development,’ he said.
‘We are investing in the creation of skilled manufacturing, packaging and quality control/quality assurance and other jobs that will create opportunities for the population of Salt Lake City and the surrounding areas.’