Johnson & Johnson (Pty) Ltd Officially Opens New Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plant in Cape Town

Johnson & Johnson (Pty) Ltd Officially Opens New Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plant in Cape Town

Jan. 12, 2016 - Johnson & Johnson (Pty) Ltd officially opened their refurbished pharmaceutical manufacturing plant on 12 January 2015.  With more than R300 million (three hundred million Rand)  investment in technology and infrastructure, the Company's Cape Town manufacturing plant is geared up to meet the aggressive growth targets the organisation has set for itself.  The Company is responsible for supplying more than 25 markets within Sub-Sahara Africa.    

Johnson & Johnson South Africa's Head Office is situated in Cape Town, with manufacturing sites in both Cape Town and East London. 

The Cape Town manufacturing facility houses tablet manufacturing, liquids, creams, suppository and ointment manufacture, sachet filling, packaging operations and warehousing. Products produced onsite are supplied to the local market as well as exported to Sub-Sahara Africa and Australia. Key products include LISTERINE®, BENYLIN®, MYLANTA®, SINUTAB® and REHIDRAT®.

The Company's  East London manufacturing site has also received more than R80 mm (eighty million Rand) worth of infrastructure and technology development over the last few years, with an additional R150mm (one hundred and fifty million Rand) planned for the next three-year period.  This manufacturing facility boast liquids, creams, lotions and powder mixing and filling technologies. Key products produced onsite and supplied to markets throughout Sub-Sahara Africa include JOHNSON'S® Baby,  JOHNSON'S® Adult,  and SAVLON® and  STAYFREE®.  

Speaking at the official opening, Cape Town Site Lead Alex Granados commented on the opportunities for job creation and growth that the new Plant will offer. "During the past two years, we have kept out headcount flat – this is because we have brought new efficiencies and technologies into the manufacturing site as part of our upgrades and to reach the level of competitiveness we wanted to reach," said Alex. "We have now created a footprint where we can double our current headcount of 130 in the next five years and triple our current production capacity," said Alex. Area MD for Johnson & Johnson Sub Sahara Africa, Makis Kosmatos, shared the Company's aspiration for growth: "We have ambitious plans to grow our business both within South Africa and in the key markets within Sub-Sahara Africa that we serve. With local manufacture, the right products and our great people, we are confident that we will realise our ambition of tripling our business within the next five to seven years".

Delivering a key note address, Minister of Trade and Industry Dr. Rob Davies (DTI) congratulated the Johnson & Johnson Cape Town Plant on winning an internal "end-to-end" award in 2015 for most-improved cost competitiveness among 30 Johnson & Johnson plants worldwide. "This tells us that South Africa has the capability to provide a facility for world-class manufacturing,  and that our people, our operations, our organisations and our support programmes are able to support and sustain world-class manufacturing in South Africa," said Minister Davies. "This is a lesson that we need to internalise, as manufacturing remains critical to the future of this country."

Minister Davies went on to say that the DTI is looking to accelerate efforts to move into more value-added activities. "As government, we are working with foreign investors and with manufacturers, who are beginning to see the value of making investments, the value of expanding investments in South Africa and the value of the assistance that we are able to provide as the DTI," said Minister Davies.

The Minister concluded by saying that today marked a celebration of an investment decision made by a multi-national. "The confidence that Johnson & Johnson has placed in South Africa is very well-founded," he said. " We are committed to working with you on an expanded basis as we move forward – be assured that as you move into the African continent, we are your partner and we will support you in your efforts and endeavours to develop and strengthen this Plant in the future."

Johnson & Johnson (Pty) Ltd South Africa has a proud history of more than 86 years in South Africa.