The pharmaceutical group Grifols has inaugurated this Wednesday its fifth factory for the production of plasma drugs in Dublin (Ireland), in which it has invested 150 million euros, according to Eduardo Herrero, director of the group's industrial area. The plant joins those of Parets del Vallés (Barcelona), Clayton and Los Angeles (United States) and Dreieich (Germany) that it acquired with the purchase of Biotest.
The new factory will triple the capacity to produce albumin (the main plasma protein it sells) in bags. It has a surface area of 17,000 m² and incorporates a new packaging technology in plastic bags, as an alternative to glass vials, "which reduces its carbon footprint by 40% and facilitates its use, as well as its transport and storage".
Grifols, explains Herrero, has invested 300 million euros in Ireland, where it established its operations headquarters in 2012, and has 300 workers, of which 80 already correspond to the new factory. When the facility is fully operational, in about three years, it could have about 250 workers.
The factory is now in the process of being validated by the health authorities, a very long process because the group markets albumin in 50 countries, so it is expected to be completed by the middle of next year.
The plant will supply blood products to some countries in northern Europe and third countries, especially China, which accounts for 50% of albumin consumption in Asia.
The new plant will take over from the Los Angeles plant, which will reach full manufacturing capacity in two years, to accommodate Grifols' sales growth. "We plan our manufacturing needs and industrial investment for five years, because the construction and approval of a factory is a process that takes years," says Herrero.
Grifols has increased its distribution of plasma drug vials from Dublin -both from the logistics center and the distribution center- by 400% between 2017 and 2022. This is how it meets the growth in global demand for plasma products, which is growing at a annual rate of 5.1%. In addition, according to Herrero "as was seen with covid, there is currently not enough plasma to cover the global demand for blood products."
