GSK announce investment in Scotland
On 22 November 2013 we announced our plans to invest £25 million to expand our operations in Montrose to support the delivery of our new pipeline of medicines.
In addition to the £2.7 million already ring fenced by the council, Scottish Enterprise is also backing the expansion by awarding Angus Council £1.5 million to improve access into the GSK site and the area around it.
We are investing in new state of the art facilities and equipment to bring production of the ingredients for four new pharmaceutical products to Montrose.
The investment will create an additional 25 new jobs for process technicians, engineers and chemists – bringing the total GSK workforce in Scotland to more than 750. An additional fifty contractors will be employed during the construction phase.
This investment comes on top of our pledge in 2012 to invest £100 million in Montrose and our other Scottish manufacturing site in Irvine. In recent years, we have also invested approximately £40 million in bringing technology and capability to Scotland that was previously undertaken overseas.
Currently, Montrose produces active ingredients for a number of medicines in important disease areas such as respiratory and HIV/AIDS while the Irvine site produces antibiotics. These ingredients and products are exported globally and the sites are an integral part of GSK's overall manufacturing network.
Roger Connor, President, Global Manufacturing and Supply for GSK, said: "Our teams in Montrose and Irvine are world class and have worked hard to bring new facilities to the two sites. This investment shows how highly we value our teams in Scotland.
"Our people here in Montrose manufacture the primary ingredients that then go forward to be put in inhalers, pills, capsules and injections for patients across the globe. Montrose will work alongside our sister site in Singapore to meet international demand for some of the world's most important medicines.
"Ours is a fast-moving and competitive environment and the investment should be seen as a vote of confidence in the skills, standards and drive of the people who work here."
Finance Secretary John Swinney said: "GSK's investment is testament to the skill of the Scottish workforce and illustrates the confidence international companies have in Scotland as a country to invest in.
"Montrose has the infrastructure, experience and skills to deliver success for GSK and the company's commitment to Scotland is further positive news for financial enterprise and the wider Scottish economy.
"We acknowledge the support of both Angus Council and Scottish Enterprise in developing the proposals to support the infrastructure of the surrounding South Montrose area.
"The Scottish Government, Scottish Development International and Scottish Enterprise will continue to do all we can to make Scotland an attractive location for inward investment."
GSK is the largest pharmaceutical company in Scotland in terms of employment and investment. The company contributes approximately £80 million annually to the Scottish economy.