GSK unveils £275m of new construction plans

The Angus site will see £110m invested for a new, state-of-the-art facility for the manufacture of respiratory active ingredients.

Barnard Castle in County Durham will receive £92m to fund the construction of an aseptic sterile facility, while Ware in Hertfordshire will receive £74m for additional manufacturing capacity at the site.

In addition to jobs associated with the construction of the new facilities, today’s announcement will support current employment at these three sites and is expected to lead to the creation of new employment opportunities.

There had been speculation that pharmaceutical firms like GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca might leave the UK following Britain’s decision to leave the European Union however chief executive Andrew Witty said the UK’s “competitive corporate tax system” and skilled workforce had influenced the decision to invest post-Brexit.

Mr Witty said: “Today’s announcement reflects further investment to support our pharmaceutical pipeline and meet growing demand for our innovative portfolio of newly launched products.

“It is testament to our skilled UK workforce and the country’s leading position in life sciences that we are making these investments in advanced manufacturing here. From their manufacture in the UK, many of these medicines will be sent to patients around the world.”

GlaxoSmithKline employs around 16,000 people in the UK, around 6000 of whom are involved in manufacturing.

UK government junior minister at the Scotland Office, Andrew Dunlop, said: “It is great news that GlaxoSmithKline is boosting investment in Scotland, and a real testament to the hard work and skills of the workforce in Montrose. Above all, it is a clear vote of confidence in the country’s economy, and shows that Scotland and the UK are very much open for business.”