June 12 – Enough shots for every American.
That could be the result of continued expansion at Jubilant HollisterStier, according to CEO and President Chris Preti, who spoke with other manufacturers Wednesday at the East West Life Science Summit on the campus of Washington State University in Spokane.
“When we are done with this expansion, we will be the number one manufacturer in Spokane,” Preti said.
Jubilant specializes in producing injectable products for pharmaceutical and biotech companies. At one point it was the only company making coronavirus vaccines in Washington.
In February, the company announced the completion of the first phase of an expansion project to add a third production line to their factory at 3525 N. Regal St.
The second and final stage is adding a fourth line. When ready, the company will be well suited to providing vaccines to Americans – that is, every American.
“In the future, we will be able to make more than 60 million vials in a year, which amounts to doses for 300 million patients,” he said. “Think about that.
“When we complete the expansion, should the need arise, we will have the ability to provide almost every patient in the U.S. with a product manufactured right here in Spokane.”
The expansion project was funded in part with approximately $150 million in American Rescue Plan funding under an agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services.
The project, scheduled for completion in 2025, will add 160,000 square feet to the building, bringing the total footprint to approximately 480,000 square feet.
It will add 400 jobs, bringing its workforce to a total of 1,200 – the largest of any manufacturer in the region, according to Preti.
He hopes the move will lead to even bigger things for the region.
“The big vision is to create an economic center like you see in Seattle, San Francisco or San Diego,” he said. “And we are making some good strides.”
Perhaps the biggest obstacle the local industry must overcome to compete with larger markets is a labor shortage, he said.
To combat this problem, Preti and other manufacturers in the region are working with primary and secondary school teachers, commerce and higher education institutions.
“About 65% of our people only need a high school education,” he said. “We could take them in and spend six to eight months training them, and then they could actually operate multi-million dollar equipment – what a great opportunity for someone once they get their GED.”
But through collaboration with community partners, this process can be streamlined.
“We could create a way for these hundreds of people to go through a certification program, and they could come to Jubilant HollisterStier and say, ‘Hey, I’m certified as a biomanufacturing operator,’” he said. “That would accelerate the six- to eight-month internal training program to almost zero.”
