Merck Sharp & Dohme Expands Singapore Facility With S$100 Million Investment

Singapore - MSD Technology Singapore Pte Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, USA, dedicated an expansion of its production facilities in Singapore. The expanded facilities are scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2006.

Now in the final stages of construction, the expansion consists of manufacturing formulation facilities and support infrastructure, and will bring increased capacity and production capability to the 49-acre site in Tuas Biomedical Park. The new S$100 million project brings Merck's overall investment in Singapore to over S$1 billion.

The expansion is located on the same Tuas Biomedical Park site as are a bulk pharmaceutical plant, which MSD opened in September 2001, and a formulation facility, with more than 15,000 square meters of floor space, which opened in October 2003.

"Almost five years have passed since we dedicated our first manufacturing facility here -- a modern chemical plant that manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients for some of our most important products, and three years ago we dedicated a sophisticated formulation plant that manufactures VYTORIN, a medicine for reducing elevated cholesterol levels," said Mr. Willie Deese, president, Merck Manufacturing Division.

He added: "The new expansion we are now dedicating is intended for the manufacture of new medicines that are currently in late stage development, including medicines under development for the treatment of elevated cholesterol levels."

Mr. Philip Yeo, Chairman, Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR) said "Today marks yet another significant milestone in the Merck-Singapore partnership. The latest round of expansion by MSD will bring its total manufacturing assets in Singapore to over S$1 billion, a short five years after Merck opened its first plant here. This is a strong endorsement of our manufacturing capabilities and underscores Singapore's position as a globally competitive strategic manufacturing site for the pharmaceuticals industry."

Russ Watson, managing director, MSD-Singapore Operations, said: "When operational, this new expansion will bring our overall manufacturing employment in Singapore to more than 300. MSD's total work force in Singapore, including employees in sales, marketing and regional support functions, is approximately 450."

"This new investment is exciting for those of us here in Singapore because it builds on our technical and operational excellence and capability," Mr. Watson said.

Mr. Deese added: "We are proud to be building on the strong roots we have established in Singapore. Singapore clearly recognizes that a strong biomedical industry is important to its own economy -- but also to the health of people worldwide. And Singapore is a country that has safely, effectively and efficiently implemented new investments in technology and products."

Quality, Safety and the Environment are Manufacturing Imperatives
"Merck is committed to producing medicines that meet the most stringent quality standards," Mr. Deese said. "We conduct business with the highest regard for the environment, and we are committed to assuring the safety and health of our employees, our neighbors and patients. These are Merck?s manufacturing imperatives."

Mr. Deese added, "We believe that the addition of this new capability in Singapore will provide Merck with the ability to meet worldwide demand for what we believe will be an important new medicine and additional new medicines in the future."

MSD Singapore Operations Receives Merck Chairman's Safety Award
Mr. Deese noted that during his visit to Singapore he had the pleasure of presenting MSD Singapore Manufacturing Operations with a prestigious Merck Chairman's Award for Safety Performance, which recognizes the achievement of seven years and three million hours of manufacturing operations without a lost time injury.

"Achievement of this award is noteworthy in that MSD Singapore Manufacturing Operations has, from its first day of operation, never experienced a lost time injury -- despite the challenges inherent in the start up of both chemical and formulation facilities," Mr. Deese said. "An accomplishment like this one would not have been possible without a culture of safety, established from the beginning, continuously focusing on people and their well being."

He added that the achievement was especially noteworthy in that it was the Singapore site's second Chairman's Award for Safety Performance -- the first was received in 2002, when construction on the site reached 10 million work-hours without a lost-time injury: "The Singapore site recently logged its 14 millionth construction work hour without a lost time injury," he said.

SOURCE: MSD Technology Singapore Pte Ltd.