GSK inaugurates its new facility in Scotland

GSK recently inaugurated its new vaccine facility in Montrose, Scotland. The £44 million facility was formally opened by the First Minister. The facility will produce ingredients for vaccines for illnesses such as tetanus, pneumonia and whooping cough. GSK has been in Montrose since 1952, where it employs 450 people, with a further 150 contractors.

"This is GSK’s first sterile manufacturing facility in Scotland and this latest expansion in their operations is a boost for our life sciences industry, said Ms Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister, Scotland. "GSK has been in Montrose for more than 60 years, and I am delighted they chose this site as their dedicated vaccines facility. As well as creating very highly-skilled jobs, the site will also be critical to helping to vaccinate millions worldwide against preventable diseases."

The facility, which includes a microbiology laboratory, will manufacture sterile aluminium salts - compounds that boost the human body’s response to vaccines. This is followed the company’s recent announcement of a further £29m investment to support the manufacture of respiratory illness medicines at Montrose, bringing the overall investment in new manufacturing in the town and its antibiotics operation at Irvine to nearly £342m since 2012.

GSK Montrose site director Les Thomson said in  a statement, "We manufacture the active ingredients for a range of GSK medicines for patients with conditions including respiratory illnesses and HIV. With this new facility, we’ll be making a key ingredient for approximately 70% of our vaccines portfolio, protecting against diseases such as pneumonia, tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough." Thomson added: "Montrose was able to be considered for this investment by GSK because we have the right mix of people and skills.

"We know Scotland is a good place to conduct research, development and manufacturing, and we’re pleased the Scottish Life Sciences Strategy demonstrates a shared commitment between the industry and government to ensuring Scotland remains a great place to work in life sciences."

"Scotland has an international reputation for expertise in this field, including the work of our research institutions, said Ms Sturgeon. "Earlier this year, we published our Life Sciences Strategy, which aims to increase this industry’s contribution to Scotland’s economy to £8bn, and GSK’s investment further accelerates our ambitions. As well as creating very highly skilled jobs, the site will also be critical to helping to vaccinate millions worldwide against preventable diseases."