AROUND 450 jobs are to be created in Maryhill by a leading drugs safety company.

Merck, a supporter of the Glasgow Times Community Champion Awards, has announced a £30 million investment into its facilities here in the city and in Stirling, where a further 50 jobs will be established.

David McClelland, site head and managing director for the Scottish sites, said he was “proud and delighted” to reveal the programme of works, which is expected to be completed by 2027.

Glasgow Times: David McClellandDavid McClelland (Image: Newsquest)

He added: “This is a great day for Merck in Scotland, particularly in our Glasgow and Stirling sites.  I would like to express my appreciation for the 700 people we already have at our sites, as it is their dedication and stellar performance that lays the groundwork and builds corporate confidence for such an investment to be realised.”

Biosafety testing is a critical step in the drug development and manufacturing process that ensures drugs are safe and meet regulatory requirements.

Glasgow Times: David McClellandDavid McClelland (Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest)

The centrepiece of the investment is a new 1200sq m facility at the West of Scotland Science Park in Maryhill, which will house molecular biology and sequencing services. The company will also expand testing capacity in its current buildings with more biosafety testing labs and viral clearance suites.

David added: “These investments will allow us to continue our rate of double-digit growth through to 2030, and importantly, enable the creation of 500 new jobs in the same time period.

Glasgow Times: Inside Merck at MaryhillInside Merck at Maryhill (Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest)

“These will be high-value jobs, providing opportunity for more people across Scotland to launch and/or grow their careers in this exciting, buoyant industry.”

CEO of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce Stuart Patrick said: “This announcement is very good news for Glasgow and the surrounding region. The success of the Merck team in building such a powerful presence in biosafety testing reinforces the growing importance of Glasgow as a hub for science and innovation built on an excellent pipeline of talented new staff. The health and life sciences industry will play a central role in shaping opportunities for a high-quality career in the city region and Merck is showing how it is done.”

Glasgow Times: Merck in MaryhillMerck in Maryhill (Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest)

Stuart Armstrong, CEO of the Scottish Life Sciences Association, added: “This is great news for Scottish Life Sciences and Scotland as a whole.

"We are delighted to continue to support Merck as they expand again in Glasgow and Stirling.

"Making sure we have the skilled people to fill these jobs is a priority for us and it is excellent to be working with Glasgow Caledonian University, Stirling University and Forth Valley College, amongst others, to ensure we have students graduating with more than just an appreciation of the world-class regulatory environment they’ll be working in.”