Purdue Dedicates Wilson Facility

BT Catalyst,  June, 2000  

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Purdue Pharmaceuticals L.P. of Norwalk, Conn., recently dedicated a new 140,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Wilson.

The $25 million plant will formulate medications for pain relief and asthma once it is validated by the FDA. Full-scale manufacturing is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2001, and the company expects to employ over 150 people.

North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Rick Carlisle represented Governor Jim Hunt at the dedication ceremonies, which were attended by over 200 Purdue executives, employees and community leaders.

"We are delighted to welcome Purdue to the elite ranks of research-based manufacturing firms which have established major operations in our state," Carlisle said. "Pharmaceutical companies are great corporate citizens. They offer good-paying jobs. And Purdue has a great reputation for a workforce that really gets involved in the community."

Purdue is the fourth major pharmaceutical company to establish manufacturing operations in Wilson, joining Merck, Novapharm and Granutec.

The City of Wilson, Wilson County and the Wilson Economic Development Council partnered to facilitate the site selection and to expedite the building process for Purdue.

The facility, designed by Kling Lindquist of Philadelphia, is located on a 49-acre parcel in the Wilson Corporate Park.

"The increased capacity of this plant will allow Purdue to sustain our growth as we strive to reach our goal of being one of the ten best pharmaceutical companies in the world within the next ten years," said Michael Friedman, Purdue Pharma's chief operating officer.

Purdue Pharma is part of an international group of independent companies engaged in the research, development, production, sales, and licensing of prescription and over-the-counter medicines and hospital products.

Best known for pioneering research in the area of pain management therapeutics, Purdue scientists also developed the first once-a-day theophylline for treating asthma, a unique anti-inflammatory to relieve arthritis and fast-acting formulations to manage acute pain. The group employs over 4,000 people worldwide in research, manufacturing and marketing.

COPYRIGHT 2000 North Carolina Biotechnology Center
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