Bimeda, the Dublin-headquartered global animal health company, has officially opened a new €25 million state of the art manufacturing plant in Shijiazhuang, China.
The company, which was founded in Ireland in 1960, is a manufacturer, marketer and distributor of veterinary pharmaceuticals and animal health products.
The new Shijiazhuang plant is Bimeda’s first in China, but its eleventh international manufacturing facility overall.
It currently employs 1,000 worldwide and its products are sold into more than 80 countries.
The new facility has an initial team of 100 people on site, and will specialise in manufacturing sterile injections and parasite-control products.
According to Bimeda’s Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (AMEA) chief executive, Ronan Smith, the facility will “complement” the Irish company’s existing presence in China, which includes regulatory and commercial teams based in Beijing and Shanghai.
“The new manufacturing facility allows us to bring an increased portfolio to our growing customer base and will serve as a catalyst for substantial strategic growth within both China and the wider AMEA-ANZ (Australia/New Zealand) regions,” Smith added.
As well as its manufacturing capabilities the new Shijiazhuang site is also home to a raw materials and finished goods warehouse, an R&D laboratory, and on-site validation and quality teams.
Ireland’s ambassador to China, Dr. Ann Derwin, took part in the official opening celebrations for the company’s first Chinese plant.
Dr. Derwin said that Shijiazhuang has a “reputation as the medicine hub of China, just as Ireland is the medicine hub of Europe”.
“Foreign direct investment between Ireland and China also assists both countries. This facility once again demonstrates the willingness of Irish companies to invest in China.
“Through positive experiences gained here, I am certain that Bimeda can lead the way for similar investment from other Irish companies in the future.
“I am proud of what they have achieved and consider them excellent ambassadors for Ireland and the agri-tech sector here in China,” she added.