GlaxoSmithKline Eyes £25m Scottish Expansion and Jobs Boost

GlaxoSmithKline has revealed it will invest £25m in an expansion of its Montrose site in Scotland to support the delivery of its new pipeline of medicines.

The pharmaceutical giant's move will create 25 new jobs for process technicians, engineers and chemists - boosting the total GSK workforce in Scotland to more than 750.

The expansion will also mean an additional 50 contractors will be employed during its construction phase.

"Our people here in Montrose manufacture the primary ingredients that then go forward to be put in inhalers, pills, capsules and injections for patients across the globe," said Roger Connor, president of global manufacturing and supply for GSK.

"Montrose will work alongside our sister site in Singapore to meet international demand for some of the world's most important medicines.

"Ours is a fast-moving and competitive environment and the investment should be seen as a vote of confidence in the skills, standards and drive of the people who work here."

GSK said it is investing in new state of the art facilities and equipment to bring production of the ingredients for four new pharmaceutical products to Montrose.

This investment comes on top of GSK's pledge in 2012 to invest £100m ($162m, €119m)in Montrose and the company's other Scottish manufacturing site in Irvine.

The Montrose site currently produces active ingredients for a number of medicines in important disease areas such as respiratory and HIV/AIDS while the Irvine site produces antibiotics.

These ingredients and products are exported globally and the sites are an integral part of GSK's overall manufacturing network.

Scottish Enterprise is backing the expansion by awarding Angus Council £1.5m to improve access into the GSK site and the area around it.