ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, January 5, 1996 TAG: 9601050054
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: FOREST
SOURCE: RICHARD FOSTER STAFF WRITER
BARR LABORATORIES, wooed by Gov. George Allen, will bring many new jobs to Forest when it opens in spring 1997. Allen says it is ``just what the doctor ordered.''
Gov. George Allen said he had a personal reason for supporting Barr Laboratories Inc., which on Thursday confirmed it will locate a multimillion-dollar manufacturing center in Bedford County.
Allen said his mother had breast cancer, and one of the Pomona, N.Y.-based generic drug company's major products is a breast-cancer drug.
"Fortunately, she has survived it," Allen said. "But because of my mother's illness, my wife Susan has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of breast cancer.
"Barr Labs' decision to come to Virginia is of particular personal interest to the Allen family. It's just what the doctor ordered."
After almost a year of negotiations with state and county economic-development officials, Barr said it has completed the $2.3 million purchase of a 65,700-square-foot building on Virginia 663 from Galileo Electro-Optics Corp. of Sturbridge, Mass.
Barr expects to reopen the plant by spring 1997.
Barr plans to spend about $12 million to renovate the vacant building, which already has some features it needs, such as "clean rooms," sealed sterile industrial spaces that must meet strict federal guidelines.
The company's agents originally told county and state officials that it would invest $29 million, but company officials say that figure is based on its long-range plan to build a distribution center on the site.
Initially, Barr will create 120 new jobs, ranging from manufacturing workers to experienced lab and pharmacy technicians. Most will be hired from Virginia, a company spokesperson said.
Helping to woo the company, Bedford County will match a $125,000 grant awarded to Barr from the Governor's Opportunity Fund, which will be used for landscaping, lighting, and roadway and parking improvements at the site.
"The unique nature of the Virginia facility provided us with a very compatible facility that can be efficiently and cost-effectively modified to meet our manufacturing needs," said Bruce L. Downey, the company's president and chief executive officer.
Barr looked at dozens of sites across the United States and in Puerto Rico before deciding to locate in Forest, Downey said. Depending on approval of new products still under development, Barr could triple its production within the next couple of years, he said.
Downey cited Virginia's friendly climate to business, including low property and utility taxes, as the company's main decision for expanding in Forest.
In addition to the state and county opportunity funds, Barr also will receive workforce training assistance from the state Department of Economic Development as well as a one-time state tax credit of about $20,000 based on the number of workers it will employ.
Emphasizing Barr's desire to be a part of the community, Downey announced a $5,000 scholarship it will award the top science student graduating this year from nearby Jefferson Forest High School.
"We're very excited to have them here," said County Administrator Bill Rolfe. "We think they'll be excellent corporate citizens."
Barr would be the eleventh pharmaceutical company to operate in Virginia, according to the 1995 Virginia Industrial Directory. Other drug manufacturers in the state, such as Merck Co. in Rockbridge County, have undergone major expansions over the last year.
Barr ranks among the top 10 independent U.S. manufacturers of generic drugs, based on its 1995 sales of $199.7 million. Its other key products include antibiotics and treatments for AIDS, heart disease and depression.
The company's stock is publicly traded on the American Stock Exchange. Barr has 350 employees at two manufacturing plants in New York and New Jersey.
LENGTH: Medium: 74 linesby CNB