Interesting that they have achieved there upgraded facility ahead of time and expect demand for product at 15 tonne/yr 2010- but now have capacity for 24 tonne per year - up from half a tonne previous yr- looks like gsk have some extra production capacity up there sleeve for bulk powder relenza ( nearly 40% extra relenza powder production available)or enough powder to up production by an additional 76 mill doses - to 266mill doses/yr- assuming they could get the extra inhailing devices/ packaging and orders.
SCOTLAND'S First Minister, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond, visited the GlaxoSmithKline factory at Montrose on Tuesday to formally open the new £5 million expansion of the factory, a direct result of the swine flu pandemic.
GSK Montrose is the only site in the world licenced to manufacture Zanamivir, the active ingredient in the flu treatment Relenza.
Welcoming the First Minister and invited guests, site director Dr David Tudor thanked GSK staff and contracting staff for their efforts in the last few roller-coaster months since the swine flu outbreak began.
GSK Montrose has 280 staff and a further 120 contract staff making them one of the biggest employers in Angus. Running costs of the factory is now up to £90 million a year, with £25 million going direct into the Angus economy.
Dr Tudor said the company was showing its commitment to Montrose with over £40 million invested over the last three years.
"Since the swine flu outbreak, a lot of hard work has gone in to getting a plant ready which had not been used for 18 months. Working in partnership with Scottish Enterprise we have invested £5 million.
"We must ensure that the white powder gets out to make the medicine which is needed and so far we have hit all the challenges which have come our way.
"GSK will produce 190 million boxes of Relenza for the global market, so these are exciting and challenging times.
"From here Zanamivir will be shipped to six other countries to make Relenza for world-wide distribution. The world is watching Montrose to see that we do what we say we will do.
"Production starts in three weeks time and we will be working 24 hours a day seven days a week through to September next year.
"In all my time in the industry I have never seen such a decisive and co-ordinated response to deliver what is needed."
The First Minister said: "Many people around the planet will be very grateful to Montrose.
"Having shared an office with first Andrew Welsh and then Mike Weir, I am fully aware of the impact GSK has on Montrose and the wider community.
"What the company is doing here is necessary for Scotland's health and the world's health. It is vitally important to so many people.
"The ability of the company to respond to an international crisis has been truly impressive."
With its new and expanded plant, GSK Montrose has now doubled its capacity for the production of Zanamivir up to 24 tons a year.
Relenza is also an effective treatment for "normal" flu, but with swine flu, demand is soaring.
The 190 million doses will go to meet the needs of governments across the globe.
Before the swine flu outbreak, GSK was producing only half a ton of Zanamivir a year. They now forecast a demand for 15 tons in 2010.
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