Almac Group plans expansion of its Lower Salford HQ
$93.5M investment to add 355 jobs.
HARRISBURG » Almac Group, a global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organization, is expanding its North American headquarters in Montgomery County and will create 355 new jobs through the project.
“It’s truly a testament to what our commonwealth has to offer, when an internationally successful company like the Almac Group chooses to expand its North American headquarters here in Pennsylvania,” Governor Tom Wolf said Thursday in announcing the expansion. “This is the company’s second expansion during my administration, and I think our probusiness climate has a great deal to do with that. Pennsylvania is a great choice for companies looking to set up shop or businesses already located here who want to grow and thrive for years to come.”
Almac Group’s expansion in Montgomery County will add 100,000 square feet to its existing 246,000-square-foot facility in Lower Salford, including upgrades at the company’s sites in Audubon and Lansdale, to meet increased and next generation client demand. The company has held operations in Pennsylvania for more than 20 years and officially opened a North American headquarters site in Lower Salford in 2011.
The company received a funding proposal from the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for a $1.775 million Pennsylvania First grant and a $250,000 workforce development (WEDnet) grant and was encouraged to apply for the department’s
Manufacturing Tax Credit (MTC) and Research and Development Tax Credit (R&D) programs.
“Almac Group has committed to creating at least 355 new jobs, retaining 1,434 existing jobs and investing approximately $93.5 million into the project within the next three years,” a release said.
“We are delighted to mark this next milestone of our future in Montgomery County,” Alan Armstrong, Almac Group chairman and chief executive, said in a statement. “We look forward to welcoming over 350 new employees, who will be an essential part of our continued success over the next three years. Almac Group’s mission is to advance human health and we are committed to re-investing all of our profits back into the business to ensure we are market leading for our clients and patients and offer the best possible work environment for our people.”
This project is the second of Almac Group’s expansion projects under Gov. Wolf, the first of which was announced in November 2016. Both projects were coordinated by the Governor’s Action Team (GAT), a group of economic development professionals that reports directly to the governor and works with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania.
“Almac’s exciting new phase of growth in Montgomery County is a testament to the excellent workforce and exceptional quality of life our communities offer,” David Zellers Jr., director of commerce, Montgomery County Commerce Department, said in a statement. “Everyone on the Montco team is appreciative of our partnership with GAT and DCED; working together county and state economic development leaders make for a winning team to keep investment and growth happening to the benefit all of Pennsylvanians.”
“This GAT project represents a huge capital investment — one of the largest in Montgomery County in recent years,” DCED Acting Secretary Neil Weaver said in a statement. “DCED is proud to invest in the Almac Group’s headquarters expansion and the good paying jobs that are being created and retained here in Pennsylvania.”
“Through GAT, Gov. Wolf has invested nearly $17.5 billion over the past seven years to support 416 completed projects, create 46,537 new jobs, and retain 140,577 jobs for Pennsylvanians,” the release said.
Almac Group is a global company based in Northern Ireland that is at the forefront of developing, manufacturing, testing, and distributing essential medicines to vulnerable patients around the world.