Valeant investing in Laval plant as it shifts drug production to Quebec
by Canadian Manufacturing.com Staff
Pharma firm has pumped more than $1 million into facility
LAVAL, Que.—Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. is shifting its production of a popular antifungal known as Jublia from Japan to Canada, and has retrofitted its Laval, Que. facility to accommodate the change.
The pharmaceutical firm has invested more than $1 million into its Laval plant, building specialized rooms to manipulate ethanol, upgrading the facility’s flammable safety storage areas and investing in packaging equipment. The firm says the Laval site is now ready to safely handle an increase in production volumes.
“Laval is a strategic choice for Valeant. This facility’s lean, state-of-the-art, high-tech manufacturing and efficient production processes have made us competitive on the global stage and helped set our performance apart,” Jacques Dessureault, president and general manager of Valeant’s Canadian operations, said.
“As we take on the role of global production center for prescription dermatology products, this now world-class facility allows us to become a major player in our industry at home and abroad,” he added.
The majority of the new drug production at the Laval site will be shipped to the U.S.
Though the company did not disclose figures, it also said the production shift will guarantee specialized manufacturing jobs in Quebec.
