A new high-tech pharmaceutical manufacturing facility will be set up in South Australia thanks to the $20 million funding package provided by the state government.
The $20 million funding package will aid Noumed Pharmaceuticals in establishing their $85 million manufacturing facility at Salisbury South.
Noumed Pharmaceuticals is a major global supplier of prescription and over-the-counter medicines and therapeutics.
While the pharmaceutical company currently manufactures all of their products offshore, the new facility will allow them to become entirely self-sufficient by 2025.
Federal Finance Minister and Senator for South Australia Simon Birmingham said the project was expected to create up to 250 jobs during its construction phase and a further 180 ongoing positions once operational.
“This is a big win for jobs and another vote of confidence in South Australia’s high-tech manufacturing capability,” Minister Birmingham said.
“South Australia has a proven track record of attracting global companies and it’s no coincidence that a global pharmaceutical company like Noumed has chosen South Australia for the site of its first Australian manufacturing facility.”
With the pandemic showing how easily global supply chains can be interrupted, the construction of the facility will boost the state’s sovereign capability to produce critical products such as pharmaceuticals.
South Australian Premier Steven Marshall thanked the Commonwealth and Noumed for investing in South Australia, building its reputation as an innovation hub and a high-tech manufacturing centre.
“Noumed’s presence in South Australia will do more than just create good local manufacturing jobs,” Premier Marshall said.
“The company will also have a strong focus on research and development, creating job opportunities across the workforce for scientists, pharmacy graduates, logistics experts and engineers, as well as opportunities for collaboration with our local research institutions.”
Federal Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Christian Porter said the manufacturing of medical products were part of the National Manufacturing Priorities identified by the Australian Government under its $1.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy.
The centrepiece of the Modern Manufacturing Strategy is the $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative. The Modern Manufacturing Initiative supports manufacturing companies like Noumed.
The other manufacturing companies that are to receive funding under the Modern Manufacturing Initiative are the following:
- Avicena Systems will use its $3 million funding to scale up the manufacturing of its rapid and low-cost mass screening platform for COVID-19. This mass screening platform can help detect infected individuals in 35 minutes. The system can process up to 100,000 tests per day and can be deployed at airports to test passengers before they fly.
- Vaxxas will use its $4.4 million funding to ramp up production of its world-leading patch vaccination device, a band-aid-like product that will deliver vaccines into the bloodstream.
- Cyclowest will use its $2.5 million funding to scale up its facility with a state-of-the-art cyclotron, producing therapy radiopharmaceuticals that contribute to helping clinicians diagnose medical conditions.
- GBS (APAC) will use its $6.3 million in funding to build a new medical device manufacturing facility to enable the commercialisation of technology for diagnostic tests.
“Noumed is one of five medical product manufacturers across Australia that we are announcing funding for today, all of which will deliver strong job growth in this important sector of our economy,” Minister Porter said.
“We also know that for every manufacturing job we create, at least another three are generated in other industries thanks to the multiplier effect that our investments have on the broader economy.”
Eliza is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum. She is an experienced writer on topics related to the government and to the public, as well as stories that uplift and improve the community.
