Grifols inaugurates new state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Ireland to meet growing global demand for plasma medicines

Barcelona, Spain, Oct. 19, 2022 – Grifols (MCE:GRF, MCE:GRF.P, NASDAQ:GRFS), a global leader in plasma-derived medicines, today will inaugurate a new albumin purification and filling plant at its global manufacturing and supply hub in Dublin, Ireland – a milestone in the continuing expansion of a site that plays an increasingly vital role in producing, packaging and distributing Grifols therapies worldwide.

The newly built plant adds more than 17,000 sq m (183,000 sq ft) to Grifols’ cutting-edge Grange Castle facilities, located just outside the Irish capital, and is part of the company’s ongoing global growth and investment in critical plasma infrastructure to provide more medicines to more patients in more parts of the world.

It triples the annual filling production capacity of Grifols’ flexible container, ALBUTEIN FlexBag™. This container, which comes in several sizes and albumin concentrations, provides an innovative alternative to storing and transporting albumin, as well as administering the therapy to patients.

Global demand for albumin, whether in bags or vials, is expected to increase by a compound annual growth rate of around 5% over the next five years¹. The most abundant protein found in plasma, albumin is used to replace lost fluids, restore vital blood volume and to treat prevalent diseases such as cirrhosis. Grifols is also advancing its potential use to treat neurological degenerative disorders.

Applying the latest eco-efficiency technologies to conserve energy and water, the state-of-the-art albumin manufacturing plant is the latest showcase for Grifols’ industry-leading design and engineering. It is the first Grifols plant to be 100% designed by BIM (Building Information Modeling) technology, enabling optimization of resources.

“This new magnificent Dublin manufacturing facility, which incorporates Grifols industry-leading engineering, is indicative of this company’s commitment to investing in essential plasma-medicine infrastructure globally to treat more patients around the world,” said Víctor Grifols Deu and Raimon Grifols, Grifols co-CEOs.

Grifols has invested close to EUR 300 million in its Irish operations since first establishing a presence in the country in 2012. Ireland’s diverse and skilled talent pool, its strategic location between North America and continental Europe and its accommodating business environment have fostered Grifols’ local growth. The company currently has more than 300 employees at its Dublin site, a number expected to grow over the next couple of years to approximately 500.

Dublin is Grifols’ fifth manufacturing site for essential plasma medicines alongside Barcelona; Clayton, North Carolina; and Los Angeles, California, as well as Biotest’s site in Dreieich, Germany. Additional Grifols manufacturing sites under construction will become operational in Montreal, Canada, in 2024, and El Cairo, Egypt, in 2025.

“I very much welcome Grifols’ continued investment in Ireland and the 200 extra jobs this will bring to Dublin,” said Leo Varadkar, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. “Having steadily grown its presence in Ireland over the last decade, Grifols' further expansion reinforces Dublin as an important center of the company’s global operations. It’s further proof of Ireland’s role as a major biopharmaceutical and international trade hub, with a highly talented workforce available.”