The previous life sciences arm of Common Electrical is poised for vital development below its new guardian firm because it embarks on an effort to create 1,000 new jobs worldwide. Massachusetts shall be one of many beneficiaries: The growth contains 200 new jobs within the state, in addition to a brand new manufacturing facility that can open in Shrewsbury by the tip of the yr.
Cytiva, because the enterprise is named, unveiled its expansion plans on Sunday. Now owned by Danaher Corp., the corporate is investing $500 million to improve and broaden its properties and tools over the subsequent 5 years.
Emmanuel Ligner, chief govt of Cytiva, mentioned the corporate has sped up its funding and hiring plans to maintain tempo with calls for from shoppers which might be engaged on COVID-19-related checks and vaccines.
“Now we have at all times had growth plans,” Ligner mentioned. “The COVID state of affairs is accelerating our investments.”
In Massachusetts, the corporate has about 90,000 sq. toes in Marlborough and 130,000 sq. toes in Westborough, unfold throughout a couple of buildings. The most recent plant will open on Route 9 in Shrewsbury later this yr, and can complete about 80,000 sq. toes. Cytiva makes bioreactors, filtration gadgets, and different tools for the biotech business in Westborough.
Ligner mentioned the bioreactor manufacturing will transfer from Westborough to Shrewsbury; move kits and disposable luggage that go contained in the bioreactors will proceed to be made in Westborough. The 200 new jobs shall be break up between each cities over the subsequent few years. A spokeswoman for the corporate mentioned it has not utilized for Massachusetts tax incentives to broaden its manufacturing capability.
Cytiva employs about 7,000 globally, together with about 850 in Massachusetts. The Marlborough location is taken into account one among its 4 international hubs; Ligner relies in the UK.
The $21 billion sale of what was as soon as often called GE Healthcare’s Life Sciences enterprise provided crucial capital to assist GE chief govt Larry Culp pay down GE’s company debt. The sale was accomplished on March 31, within the early days of the pandemic in the USA, and initially inked between Boston-based GE and Danaher, which Culp beforehand led, in early 2019.
On the time, Culp was persevering with a course of began by his predecessor, John Flannery, to divest varied enterprise strains, to slim GE down and use the proceeds to bolster its weakened monetary standing. The most recent growth ought to present some assurances to individuals who had puzzled what GE’s divestiture would imply for employment in Marlborough and Westborough.
Jon Chesto could be reached at jon.chesto@globe.com. Comply with him on Twitter @jonchesto.
