SHL Medical AG is initially investing $90 million to build a new manufacturing site in North Charleston, S.C., in response to growing demand for autoinjector products.
"Demand for SHL's products has increased significantly. … We are speeding up our plans for a new plant in the U.S.," Ulrich Faessler, chairman and CEO of SHL, said in a July 18 news release.
The expansion helps to mitigate supply chain disturbances "through closer production with our customers, in light of various global events from the past two years," Faessler said.
The 270,000-square-foot facility is expected to create 165 new jobs and begin operations in 2024.
"Similar to our upcoming European site in Zug, Switzerland, the U.S. site will be a … fully automated site," Faessler added.
SHL declined to provide any further comment in response to inquiries by Plastics News.
The South Carolina site will feature medical device injection molding and automated assembly capabilities. SHL has existing assembly, labeling and packaging operation in Deerfield Beach, Fla.
In 2019, the company "developed a long-term strategy in response to the growing autoinjector demand and to meet future manufacturing needs," the release said.
The announcement follows that of a new SHL site in Zug, Switzerland, which is also expected to be complete in 2024. SHL did not share further details about the Swiss site.
SHL, which has locations in Switzerland, Taiwan, Sweden, and the United States, designs and manufactures devices like autoinjectors, pen injectors and specialty delivery systems for large-volume and high-viscosity formulations.