Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced that Granules India Ltd., a vertically integrated pharmaceutical company, will invest $12.5 million to establish a pharmaceutical packaging operation in Prince William County. The new facility will be part of the company’s Consumer Health division and will return previously outsourced services in-house. Granules will lease 79,000 square feet of the Parkway 66 property at 7413 Cushing Road in Manassas and build out packaging lines and clean rooms to package and ship pharmaceuticals. Virginia successfully competed with Maryland for the project, which will create 57 new jobs.
“Virginia continues to attract pharmaceutical manufacturing, and Granules India’s new packaging operation in Prince William County is an important addition to the pharmaceutical ecosystem in the Commonwealth,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “The company’s decision to expand its footprint in Virginia is a testament to our infrastructure and robust workforce, and we look forward to further development of this partnership.”
“When a global company like Granules India establishes a second Virginia operation, it reinforces our business-friendly climate, collaborative environment, and skilled workforce,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick. “The Commonwealth’s pharmaceutical sector has gained significant momentum in recent years, and we thank Granules for continuing our success in this booming industry.”
“The addition of a U.S. packaging facility will result in Granules being among the few pharmaceutical companies to be vertically integrated from API to packaging, which will bolster the robustness of Granules’ supply chain while also enabling the company to react even faster to consumers’ growing needs for pharmaceutical products,” said Dr. Krishna Prasad Chigurupati, Founder and Managing Director. “The company chose Virginia because of Prince William County’s responsiveness which allowed Granules faster access to commercialization. In addition, Prince William offers a dynamic and diverse workforce that is eager to work along with the site’s proximity to several major seaports. Granules also chose to expand within Virginia to leverage its existing manufacturing footprint and workforce.”
“Granules Consumer Health gained a competitive advantage by locating their packaging facility in Manassas, and we welcome them to our business-friendly community,” said Ann B. Wheeler, Chair, Prince William Board of County Supervisors. “As the front door to Northern Virginia, Prince William County’s strategic location elevates the growing importance of supply chain logistics and distribution for global companies.”
“As we learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, a robust domestic medical supply chain is critical to ensure a secure, reliable, and safer system for patients and our national security,” said Congressman Rob Wittman. “Investments like this, especially right here in Virginia’s First District, are exactly how we continue to expand and excel in this space, while adding additional jobs to the Commonwealth of Virginia. I commend the Governor for continuing to advance Virginia as a national leader in domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing.”
“I'm excited to welcome Granules India to the 13th district! Prince William County has an experienced, well-educated, and motivated workforce, and I believe we will have a long and successful partnership with Granules,” said Senator John J. Bell. “I thank Granules for their confidence in choosing to do business in the Commonwealth, and I want to congratulate and thank everyone from the Governor’s team who was involved in bringing this partnership to fruition.”
Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Hyderabad, India, Granules India serves leading brand and generics companies in over 75 countries with eight manufacturing facilities around the world. The company manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients, pharmaceutical formulation intermediates, and finished dosages, and its products include common consumer drugs such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen and guaifenesin (key ingredient in Mucinex). Granules employs 130 at a pharmaceutical R&D and manufacturing facility in Fairfax County.
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Prince William County to secure the project for Virginia. Former Governor Northam approved a $200,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Prince William County with the project.