Roche Diagnostics to Begin Phased Occupancy of $155 Million New Jersey Manufacturing Center

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Inc.; Houston, Texas). Roche Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) is nearing completion of the first phase of its 440,000 square foot PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) Manufacturing Center in Branchburg, New Jersey. The company, a division of the privately-owned Swiss firm, F. Hoffman-LaRoche Limited, expects to begin moving in the first wave of employees next month. Initial planning for the center, known as Project PMC, began in 1991, with the purchase of the 63-acre project site.

PCR is a Nobel-prize winning technology that Roche has further developed into leading nucleic acid testing (NAT) technology. Roche currently holds more than 130 U.S. patents related to the PCR process, which is used for the development and production of biochemical reagents and the manufacture of diagnostic kits. These kits are then used to diagnose infectious agents, including SARS, the West Nile Virus, HIV and hepatitis. They are also utilized to monitor disease progression and the patient's response to therapy.

Project PMC will to provide the manufacturing and supply functions for the company's business unit, Roche Molecular Systems, Incorporated (RMS). The expanded Branchburg facility will allow RMS to consolidate from their other two sites in New Jersey (Belleville and Totowa) to one centralized location.

The project will effectively double the existing 200,000 square foot facility, with the construction of a cGMP pharmaceutical manufacturing center, production testing laboratories in a Class 1000 cleanroom environment, the renovation of existing laboratory space and construction of a new office building. A central energy plant is also being built, along with central shipping, receiving and warehouse operations.

Torcon, Incorporated of Westfield, New Jersey is the construction management company for Project PMC. The architectural firm is Einhorn Yaffee Prescott of New York City and Fluor Daniel of Greenville, South Carolina is the engineering company. Roche expects the site to eventually employ up to 800 people when completed in 2006.

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