Gardner Peptide Co. Plans Big Expansion
LIVIA GERSHON
Dr. Susan Windham-Bannister, president of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, talks with New England Peptides COO Ben Robinson during a tour of the facility.
New England Peptide LLC of Gardner wants to expand from its current 35 employees to a work force of 300 over the next four years.
In a meeting with Dr. Susan Windham-Bannister, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, and local officials, company CEO David Robinson said NEP wants to open a $12 million, FDA-registered facility to make peptides for use in humans for clinical trials and commercial purposes. Currently, the company makes peptides only for research.
Robinson said NEP would like to build the new facility near its current location in the Summit Industrial Park, possibly right across the street within the park. He said entry costs for the new project would run about $12 million, including the price of the building itself, new equipment and new staff. He said the company's plans call for bringing NEP's staffing levels to 50 next year, 100 in 2010, 200 in 2011 and 300 in 2012.
Robinson said the company is seeking the support of the Life Sciences Center for the expansion.
NEP started in 1998 in Fitchburg. In the last two years, Robinson said it has grown 20 percent, and it has increased its staff by 40 percent in anticipation of more growth in production. He said 80 to 90 percent of the company's employees have associate's or bachelor's degrees. A handful of employees have less education, and one has a PhD, he said.
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