Xellia moves US HQ to North Carolina
Xellia has started relocating staff from its current base in Graylake, Illinois to a facility next to the Raleigh site that it acquired earlier this year. The drug and API maker said the move will enable it to better serve key local clients.
CEO Carl-Åke Carlsson said: “The US is a key market for Xellia and the expansion is part of our long term growth strategy and commitment to manufacturing in the US for our North American customers.”
"Consolidating our state-of-the-art production facility with our commercial headquarters will enable us to better serve our many customers – both with respect to proximity and working relationship. We are building a stronger, more connected US operation.”
The relocation is the second investment Xellia has made at the Raleigh site.
In September, the Denmark-headquartered firm announced its intention to spend $100m (€89m) to buy equipment and hire 40 additional staff shortly after securing tax breaks from the city of Raleigh.
On the other side of the Atlantic, Xellia – which is owned by Novo Nordisk’s backer Novo A/S – recently invested $2m to expand its R&D facility in Croatia.
Bucks the trend
Xellia’s decision to ramp up operations in Raleigh is in marked contrast with other pharmaceutical companies with facilities in North Carolina.
In recent months GlaxoSmithKline, Hospira and Salix announce cutbacks at their operations in the state.
Since then layoffs have continued at Research Triangle Park.
Shortly after GSK announced the job cuts in a WARN it also said that some 450 employees would be taken on at a neighbouring site by contract research organisation (CRO) Parexel.
However, last month reports suggested as many as 200 of these emploees would be laid off.
