Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies (FDB) will construct a ‘BioCampus’ at its site in Northeast England at a cost of £12.6 million ($16.4 million)

The contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) has announced plans to build a 42,000 square-foot expansion, set to house 250 staff members and create a further 50 jobs, at a cost of £12.6 million ($16.4 million).

“The BioCampus is going to be constructed to transform the Billingham, UK site by building a state of the art office block that will enable business transformation – promoting paperless and barrierless working,” a spokesperson from the firm told us.

Image: iStock/JOHNGOMEZPIX

The initial phase of the development will focus on an administrative facility, we were told, however the expansion supports a recent announcement at the firm’s nearby Wilton Center to increase capacity, allowing the CDMO to “double the number of high throughput antibody process implementation programs per year.”

The continued investment in its UK capabilities comes despite the current political and economic uncertainties facing the country through the proposed exit from the European Union.

“The UK site is extremely successful and is part of our strategic growth plan for FDB,” the spokesperson said. “We are expecting Brexit to have minimal impact on our operations. We are investing in this site as we invest in all the sites.”

Fujifilm has made several investments in its global capabilities of late. In March, the firm announced plans to acquire a 90,000 L mammalian cell culture in Denmark from Biogen at a cost of $890 million. And in January, the firm announced plans to invest $111 million in its US biologics and stem cell capabilities.