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Roche Aims To Create 600 Jobs With New $467 Million Facility In China

Switzerland-based Roche (RHHBY) announced today that it will be investing 450 million Francs, or $467 million, in a manufacturing facility located in Suzhou, China. The plan will roll out over the course of the next three years, and the goal is to establish a new diagnostic facility in the Suzhou Industrial Park. 

“We are excited to expand our diagnostics value chain in China to include manufacturing,” said Roland Diggelmann, COO of Roche Diagnostics. “Roche is committed to investing in China and the Asia Pacific region. The new manufacturing site will enable us to meet the growing demand for our diagnostic products, ensuring our continuous contribution to the health of people in China and the Asia Pacific region.” 

The manufacturing site will address the growing need for diagnostic tests in the area with a focus on immunochemistry and clinical chemistry. Over the next several years, there will be more than 600 people employed at the facility. 

“We are confident that by establishing our manufacturing footprint here in Suzhou close to our China operations, we can further increase our market responsiveness and contribute to the overall competitiveness of our business,” Diggelmann continued. 

 This will be the eighth Roche Diagnostics manufacturing site in the world, and its first in the Asia Pacific region. By 2018, the company expects the facility to be fully operational. In addition to expanding its global manufacturing network, Roche hopes that the new facility will help the company become a biopharmaceutical leader in the region. 

As of 2013, Roche employs 85,000 people around the world. It is focused on research-oriented healthcare in combination with pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Currently, Roche is one of the world’s largest biotechnology companies, working in areas including immunology, oncology, infectious disease, and neuroscience. 

Roche has had a presence in the Asia Pacific region for more than 40 years. More than 4,000 people are employed across 15 countries in the region. 

In recent years, Roche has worked with local insurance companies across China to improve healthcare coverage for locals, specifically those with cancer. The company is dedicated to helping businesses launch affordable cancer insurance policies that cover the best possible treatment.