GMA inaugurates Unilab’s P1.7-B Amherst plant in Laguna

President Arroyo inaugurated Tuesday a P1.7-billion facility of United Laboratories’ (Unilab) newest manufacturing subsidiary — Amherst Laboratories Inc. — in simple ceremonies at the company’s headquarters in Biñan, Laguna.

Upon her arrival, the President was met by Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila, Health Undersecretary Margarita Galon, Unilab chairwoman Jocelyn Campos Hess, Unilab president and chief executive officer Carlos Ejercito, Unilab vice chairman Clinton Campos Hess, Laguna Gov. Teresita Lazaro and Biñan Mayor Hermis Perez.

Mrs. Arroyo and her reception party then proceeded to the entrance of the building where she led all guests in unveiling the inaugural marker formally opening the plant and its operations to the public.

After the unveiling, she was then given a tour of the plant’s facilities.

Nestor Felicio, Unilab vice president for strategic manufacturing and supply chain management, briefed the President on the various stages their medicines go through before being dispensed to the consuming public: Dispensing, granulation, coating and packaging.

Felicio also described the state-of-the-art air filtration system the plant employs to ensure that its facilities are 100 percent or close to 100-percent dust and bacteria free.

He said that during the 15 minutes it took Mrs. Arroyo and her party to tour the plant’s facilities, the air within the building had "changed" or had undergone different stages of cleansing at least six times. "This ensures that utmost care is taken by the company to provide the consumers with clean, high quality medicines," he said.

Aside from this state-of-the-art air filtration system, anyone (employees and guests) who is allowed to the highly restricted area is required to don an all-white gown and protective foot gear linings to further prevent any entrance of unwanted dust and bacteria into the building.

Amherst Laboratories Inc. sits on a sprawling 35,000 sq. meters of land in the Unilab Pharma Campus in Mamplasan, Biñan, Laguna. It is complete with new facilities that are at par with the world’s best, making it the most modern manufacturing plant for pharmaceutical and healthcare products in the country today.

With its advanced technical capability, Amherst strictly complies with both local and international standards of good manufacturing practices (GMP), as well as with the tight regulatory requirements brought about by the ongoing regulatory harmonization in Southeast Asia.

Amherst has a total building area of 24,000 square meters, with a 5,500 sq. m. single floor interstitial machine room, a 4,000-sq. m. warehouse for common materials and finished goods, and a two-story administration building that houses a multipurpose room, a training room, an employees’ cafeteria, and locker amenities for employees. It also has its own advanced quality assurance laboratory with a bactiflow compact micro-analyzer that can do real-time monitoring of water microbiological quality, the only one operating in Asia.

Amherst has incorporated a building automation system that controls and monitors the critical support systems for optimum operation and energy efficiency. The life cycle of building, structures, equipment, and critical support systems has been optimized for maximum long-term cost-effectiveness. It is also designed to accommodate growth projections and new technologies in the future.

Started in March 2005, construction was completed in October 2006, Amherst produces mostly prescription medicines in tablet, capsule, and powder form, as well as ointments and non-steroidal creams. Its projected annual capacity is more than one billion tablets a year.