Major Land Purchase
Grand Rapids, Michigan, March 20, 2018 – Grand River Aseptic Manufacturing, Inc. (GRAM), a leading parenteral contract manufacturing organization, has signed purchase agreements to acquire land in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to add to its growing presence in life sciences, expand its manufacturing capacity and serve its growing customer base.
The 1.5-acre lot on Butterworth Street sits less than a quarter mile away from GRAM’s existing manufacturing facility on Front Avenue near downtown Grand Rapids and is less than a mile away from its finishing facility on Godfrey Street. The land purchase will significantly increase GRAM’s existing 40,000-square-foot cGMP space. The purchase agreements are with two separate parties, subject to normal due diligence items, and are expected to close within 90 days.
The expansion will house a state-of-the-art cleanroom space, including new isolator technology, and will allow GRAM to serve its clients with high-speed, fully integrated manufacturing and packaging lines. “The substantial growth rate that we’ve experienced in the last several years has allowed us to match the needs of our clients and the industry. With that growing demand, we are excited to add more manufacturing capacity, while remaining a quality-focused organization,” said Tom Ross, President and CEO.
GRAM’s last addition to its pharmaceutical fill/finish footprint was in 2014 with the addition of a 28,000-square-foot facility. The 2014 expansion was in response to the need for more warehousing space, as well as a place for finishing activities. “As GRAM has grown and we have continued to add more capabilities, we’ve identified the need for more cleanroom space to serve our client’s needs and to meet the market demand in biologics and generic pharmaceutical markets,” said Nick Bykerk, Vice President of Business Development and Finance.
GRAM was formed in December 2010 and opened its doors in January 2011. In seven years, GRAM has increased its employee base from 16 employees in 2011 to over 160 employees today. The company is one of the fastest growing companies in the United States and was recently named by Inc. Magazine as the 9th fastest growing company in the state of Michigan.