Stirling Pharma’s Canadian production plant to open by late September
The company already have 13 tonnes of the active ingredient needed to manufacture acetaminophen, and plans to market the product in Australia, Canada and the US under its ‘Stirling Health’ brand.
Peter Boonen, Managing Director of Stirling Products, told In-PharmaTechnologist that in addition to producing the company’s own brand of drugs: “We will also be manufacturing for third parties on an outsource contract basis; [producing] anything, ranging from supplements to pharmaceutical products.”
The new plant, located in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia has been fully fitted with extensive laboratory, drug manufacturing and packaging facilities and will initially be staffed by 20 employees.
Boonen said plans are on the way to “scale up employment” to 150 members, and of these, 25 will be scientists working on developing pharmaceuticals and neutraceuticals both for the Stirling brand and on an outsourced contractual basis.
Recovering demand
After the recent cooling of the economic climate, Stirling is optimistic demand for third party manufacturing is starting to recover.
“We look at this situation as one of a significant opportunity, and accordingly, we have no shortage of interest in securing contract work for the plant,” said Boonen.
Despite the deep-set fear of a cruel economy for most growing businesses, Boonen is positive “the global health sector is powering on.”
He explained: “In most western countries, as well as developing economies, health concerns and the better servicing of populations are near the top of [their] stated agendas. Canada is a good example, as is Obama’s commitment to health, and Putin’s announcement of a US$16bn overhaul in Russia.”
The decision to open the pharmaceutical facility in Canada came after Stirling was offered the plant “on very attractive terms,” with total control to manufacture products for the ‘Stirling Health’ brand.
