Grifols welcomes Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Cal State LA President James Rosser, Councilman Hose Huizar, patient representatives and other dignitaries for the construction dedication ceremony of its new IVIG facility.
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Grifols SA (Grifols), a global healthcare company based in Barcelona, Spain, Grifols welcomes Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa., Cal State LA President James Rosser, Councilman Jose Huizar and other elected officials, patient representatives and dignitaries for the ceremonial dedication of its new IVIG facility. Grifols, a global healthcare company based in Barcelona, Spain, recently broke ground on a new 92,000 square foot, intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) production facility at its US headquarters in East Los Angeles. This new facility is the initial realization of its $600 million long-range investment plan announced in October 2007 to increase production for Grifols lifesaving therapies.
The new facility represents a $135 million investment in its facility in El Sereno and will provide approximately 300 new high-paying jobs to Los Angeles. “We are committed to growing Grifols operations in Los Angeles and to giving back to the community through the creation of new quality jobs and economic growth” said Gregory Rich, President of Grifols, Inc.
“Without the support of Mayor Villaraigosa and his business team, we would not have been able to make our vision a reality in Los Angeles. This is the first step in our long-range growth plans for Los Angeles and to meet increasing patient needs for lifesaving plasma therapies.”
“The bio-med industry is a critical component of the economic engine of Los Angeles and I am pleased to support Grifols expansion and investment in our great city. As the bio-med sector continues to grow, it will provide good, high-wage jobs for Angelinos. I am glad that we were instrumental in supporting Grifols expansion and allowing them to double their production capacity for their lifesaving therapies” said Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa.
“We commend Grifols’ increased commitment to the production of immune globulin therapy. Assuring continued access to this lifesaving medicine means countless people who live with primary immunodeficiencies, such as my son, can lead healthy and productive lives,” said Marcia Boyle, President and Founder of the Immune Deficiency Foundation, the national patient organization for persons with primary immune diseases.
Demand for IVIG has seen steady growth over the past ten years in the US, Europe and other international markets. The dedication ceremony took place at Grifols’ US production campus and US corporate offices at 2410 Lillyvale, Los Angeles on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. This unique event brought together elected officials, representatives from national patient organizations, and Grifols officials to celebrate the company’s efforts to ensure continued access to life-saving plasma medicines including IVIG.
About Grifols
Grifols SA (Grifols) is a global healthcare company founded in 1940 in Barcelona, Spain. Today Grifols products and services are provided in more than 90 countries around the world. Grifols specializes in the production of plasma therapies to treat a variety of life-threatening diseases and conditions. Grifols operates 80 plasma donor centers throughout the US and has manufacturing facilities located in Barcelona, Spain and Los Angeles, California. For more information about Grifols please visit www.grifols.com or contact:
CONTACT: Chris Healey of Grifols, Inc., +1-703-351-5004, Fax;
+1-703-276-9052, Chris.Healey@Grifols.com
Web site: http://www.grifols.com/
