Contract r&d and manufacturing services company Almac, of Craigavon in Northern Ireland, is to invest £50m (Euro 71.8m) in a new North American headquarters facility based in southeast Pennsylvania.
The move will create at least 262 new jobs within three years, while 495 existing positions will be retained. The new positions include software development and laboratory specialists.
Almac's expansion project will be competed in several phases. Initially, the company will construct a 240,000ft2 building in Lower Salford Township and combine its two Pennsylvania divisions located in Audubon, Montgomery County, and Yardley, Bucks County. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2008 with the facility expected to be fully operational in 2010.
Almac worked with the Montgomery County IDC and local officials to secure a US$9.03m (£4.42m; €6.35m) funding offer from the Department of Community and Economic Development, including: a $4.5m (£2.2m; €3.16m) grant through the Infrastructure and Facilities Improvement Program to be disbursed over 10 years; a $2m (£980.000; €1.41m) Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority loan; a $1.25m (£612,000; €879,023) grant through the Infrastructure Development Program; a $400,000 (£195,900; €281,285) Opportunity Grant; $100,000 (£48,974; €70,321) in Customized Job Training funds; and $786,000 (£384,860; €552,723) in Job Creation Tax Credits.
"Almac has come a long way and is now a global business," said Almac chairman Sir Allen McClay. "Our positive experience to date in Pennsylvania and especially the availability of a skilled and committed workforce was a major factor in this decision, as was the support we have received from the Governor and the state authorities.
"The future for Almac in the US, in Ireland and across the globe is very exciting and this new facility will underpin our presence and our quality service to our clients in the US," he added.
Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell welcomed the move. "We have some of the most dynamic companies and talented researchers working in Pennsylvania. Our easy access to capital investment and our business-friendly tax structure helps businesses like Almac compete successfully in the global marketplace while also strengthening the commonwealth's economy," he said.
