Pfizer to build new China facility for dietary supplement brands

PFIZER Inc. (NYSE:PFE) will soon start construction of a new production facility in Suzhou, China.

 

The new $95-million consumer products production site, which will be built near the company’s existing Suzhou plant, is aimed to boost manufacturing capacity in preparation for rising demand in China and the Asia-Pacific region for Pfizer Consumer Healthcare’s brands. It will produce mainly Caltrate® dietary supplements and Centrum® multivitamins. It will also be used to support manufacture of additional products in future. 

 

Pfizer also plans to have a research and development facility on the site to support innovation in the region. 

 

The design of the new facility is expected to obtain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications. In addition to extensive use of natural lighting and shading, the plant will adopt high-efficiency manufacturing equipment, LED, and solar-powered lighting with automatic controls to minimize energy consumption. It will also incorporate waste heating and cooling recycling technologies. Water conservation measures include the use of high-efficiency equipment and fixtures, and recycle-treated wastewater for the cooling tower and toilets, and capture rain water for irrigation of lawn and landscaping. 

 

Since starting production in 1994, the company’s Suzhou facility has undergone several expansion projects to keep pace with double-digit growth in demand for Caltrate and Centrum. The existing facility also produces Robitussin® cough and cold products, antibiotics, and other prescription and over-the-counter products. It supplies multiple countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including China.

 

Pfizer, which has been doing business in China since the 1980s, operates in 300 cities throughout the country. Outside of its Suzhou plant, it has three other production facilities and two world-class research and development centers in China.

 

According to Tony Maddaluna, executive vice president and president of Pfizer Global Supply, “This new site is the latest step on our journey of environmental sustainability. For 15 years, we have voluntarily met or exceeded the public goals we have set to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions globally. This new facility is in keeping with that commitment to environmental stewardship.”

 

Andy Schmeltz, regional president, Asia Pacific and Europe, Middle East and Africa, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, said: “Asia Pacific is a large and rapidly growing region for Pfizer Consumer Healthcare and our new plant in Suzhou will give us the production capacity we need to meet increasing demand for our brands, particularly in China.”  

 

“We are pleased to build on the strong foundation we have in Suzhou, where we have produced consumer healthcare and prescription products for more than 20 years. We are confident that as we expand with a new site here, we will build on the productive and mutually beneficial relationships we have developed with the community,” said Keith Choy, regional general manager, North Asia, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. .