Grifols is to construct a plant in Brazil to manufacture bags for the extraction and conservation of blood components

Grifols the Spanish business group specializing in the hospital-pharmaceutical sector and a pioneer in transfusion medicine, is about to start construction of a new factory in Brazil for the manufacture of bags for the extraction, separation, conservation and transfusion of blood components such as plasma, red blood cells and platelets.The group plans to invest 5 million euros in the facilities, to be constructed on the outskirts of Curitiba, the capital of the Brazilian state of Paraná, a sum which is part of Grifols' existing capital investment plan (CAPEX) for the period 2012–2016.

In taking this project forward, Grifols is proud to announce that it will have a major local partner, having signed an agreement with Brazilian company CEI, Ltda. (Comércio Exportação e Importação de Materiais Médicos, Ltda.) with whom it has established a new joint company, Gri-Cei, S.A. With 60% of the shares, Grifols has a majority holding in the company and is the driving force behind its business strategy.

The group plans to complete construction work on the new plant within 2 years, enabling bags for the extraction and conservation of blood components to be manufactured in Brazil for distribution and sale both in that country and in other Latin American and international markets.

The group's aim is to strengthen its direct commercial presence in Latin America, gradually increasing its market share in the blood extraction bags sector, one which is at present highly concentrated, consisting of global sales of around 90 million units per year.

The facilities will use the very latest technology and will make maximum use of automation. They will be designed and constructed by Grifols Engineering S.A., a group company which specializes in the engineering of biotechnological and pharmaceutical processes.

The Curitiba factory will initially complement Grifols' existing plant at Las Torres de Cotillas (Murcia, Spain) although in the long term it is planned that both will operate as independent manufacturing units.

New investments at the Murcia plant

In 2012, Grifols completed Phase III of the expansion of its manufacturing facilities at Las Torres de Cotillas (Murcia, Spain) to foster the development of new products and expansion into new international markets. These new facilities have a capacity of 40 million units of parenteral solutions per year in polypropylene bags.

The final stage of the plan for integrating the entire industrial complex will be achieved with completion of Phase IV, increasing production capacity by 4 million units of extraction and blood component conservation bags per year.

The group plans to apply to the FDA (the United States' Food and Drug Administration) for certification for this manufacturing center.

About Grifols

Grifols (MCE:GRF, MCE:GRF.P and NASDAQ:GRFS) is a Spanish business group, specializing in the hospital-pharmaceutical sector, and with a presence in over 90 countries. In addition to the manufacture of plasma-derived biological medicines (plasma derivatives) and the manufacture and distribution of products for hospital pharmacy services, Grifols also has a division dedicated to in vitro diagnostics. Through this Diagnostic division, Grifols manufactures and develops the very latest devices, instrumentation and reagents for hematology and immunology tests, such as blood typing and donor-recipient compatibility prior to transfusion. The main customers are donor centers, clinical analysis laboratories, and hospital immunohematology services. In recent years, Grifols has made significant investments in the area of transfusion medicine to ensure the company's strategic position in this sector.

About CEI

CEI is a Brazilian company specializing in the sale of hospital products installed across the country. The company is the market leader in the hospital sector for the products it sells. This achievement is the result of over 40 years of growth and consolidation, based upon the company's modern import, sales and distribution system. The company is keen to play an active role in Brazil's development, with a modern sales and manufacturing program constituting part of a strategic plan to deliver sustainable growth over the next ten years.