Grand River Aseptic Manufacturing (GRAM) has signed purchase agreements to acquire land in Grand Rapids, MI, to expand its manufacturing capacity.

The 1.5-acre lot on Butterworth Street sits less than a quarter mile away from GRAM’s existing manufacturing facility on Front Avenue near downtown Grand Rapids and is less than a mile away from its finishing facility on Godfrey Street. The land purchase will significantly increase GRAM’s existing 40,000-square-foot cGMP space. The purchase agreements are with two separate parties, subject to normal due diligence items, and are expected to close within 90 days.

The expansion will house a state-of-the-art cleanroom space, including new isolator technology, and will allow GRAM to offer high-speed, fully integrated manufacturing and packaging lines.

“The substantial growth rate that we’ve experienced in the last several years has allowed us to match the needs of our clients and the industry. With that growing demand, we are excited to add more manufacturing capacity, while remaining a quality-focused organization,” said Tom Ross, president and chief executive officer, Grand River.

GRAM’s last addition to its pharmaceutical fill/finish footprint was in 2014 with the addition of a 28,000-square-foot facility. The 2014 expansion was in response to the need for more warehousing space, as well as a place for finishing activities.

“As GRAM has grown and we have continued to add more capabilities, we’ve identified the need for more cleanroom space to serve our client’s needs and to meet the market demand in biologics and generic pharmaceutical markets,” said Nick Bykerk, vice president of business development and finance, Grand River.

GRAM was formed in December 2010 and opened its doors in January 2011. In seven years, GRAM has increased its employee base from 16 employees in 2011 to over 160 employees today.

“With the support of many in the West Michigan community, GRAM was formed to create a leading life science company as a contract development and manufacturing organization,” said Mr. Ross. “Over the period of seven years, we have been fortunate to recruit many talented employees all focused on meeting the stringent demands required to be a fully qualified, FDA-approved pharmaceutical company. With a culture wrapped around quality, we have achieved tremendous growth, and we now have the opportunity to expand in our community and secure a very bright future. This land purchase will be the first step in a major expansion for GRAM as we dramatically increase our pharmaceutical fill and finish capabilities and capacity.”