Alcon to build pharmaceutical plant in Singapore

The company plans to break ground in 2009 with the plant being fully functional in 2012. The company is expected to employ more than 150 employees within three years after commencing production and will lease a 20-acre plot of land to build a 250,000 square foot facility in the Tuas Biomedical Park, which is the location for many other pharmaceutical and biotechnology company facilities. Alcon expects to manufacture at a rate of more than 53 million units per year at this facility by the end of the third year of operation.

Over the past several years, its sales of pharmaceuticals that treat diseases and conditions of the eye have risen at a compound annual growth of more than 20% in Asian markets. This growth has been driven by many of company’s major brands such as Travatan, Patanol and Vigamox ophthalmic solutions, Tobradex ophthalmic ointment, and Systane eye drops. By building this plant, the company is expected to be able to more efficiently and cost-effectively distribute pharmaceuticals in the high-growth countries in Asia.

Ed McGough, Alcon’s senior vice president, global manufacturing and technical operations, said: “Given the rapid growth in this region, this plant is integral to our ability to meet future market demands. After a lengthy and careful analysis of potential plant locations and through close collaboration with the Singapore Economic Development Board, we selected Singapore due to its highly skilled and reliable workforce and well-established government infrastructure.”