Baxter Healthcare boosts Merseyside manufacturing

DRUGS company Baxter Healthcare is doubling capacity at its Merseyside base, where it makes renal drugs.

The US-based company is having a second manufacturing and research and development plant built at Liverpool Innovation Park to complement its existing 25,000 sq ft unit.

Baxter will pay £3.5m for a 25-year lease of the 38,000 sq ft site, which will be open by 2010 and more than double its current production output.

The facility will be built in two phases, with Baxter investing £22m in this initial phase.

The second phase of expansion will be implemented in approximately five years time and will require a similar level of investment.

Mark Tock, LIP’s innovation manager:  “This represents a significant investment within Liverpool Innovation Park – an investment which will deliver jobs and real value to the local economy, bucking current economic trends.”

Baxter Healthcare located to Wavertree Technology Park, part of LIP, in 2003. Since then it has grown from 18 employees to 30.

Steve Jezzard, project manager for Baxter, said: “Work is already underway with demolition contractors on site as we speak. The new facility is planned to be construction-complete by June next year and we will be ready to commence production in September 2010.”