By Liz Fowler

FURTHER DEMONSTRATING the upturn in its fortunes, the GlaxoSmithKline pharmaceuticals plant in Montrose has embarked on a recruiting campaign to fill a number of key scientific and business posts as well as engineers and laboratory technicians.

“Our primary manufacturing site in Montrose plays a vital role in helping us to continue to bring products to market,” said a company spokesman.

“The advent of a new and wider strategic role means we are now preparing to provide back-up manufacturing for a number of blockbuster products.

“With this in mind, work is under way to update the Montrose facilities and infrastructure. We need ambitious professionals with scientific and business talents that will drive challenging new targets forward.”

The number of permanent new positions on offer would be around 20 in total, bringing the total permanent workforce at the plant to around 270, he added.

That figure does not include a considerable temporary workforce at the plant, brought in through a specialist agency to help re-equip the site for its now secure role in manufacturing several key GSK products. The company is seeking to employ a total of 100 additional contract workers.

“It’s almost unbelievable, when you think just a few months ago we were doomed to closure,” said one worker at Glaxo. “I don’t think there has ever been anything else ever like this dramatic salvation.

“We’re now going flat out, on the production lines and in refitting buildings that had been allowed to go fallow. It’s tremendous.”

The site will be involved in making new products for the treatment of asthma, type two diabetes, heart failure and prostate enlargement, as well as preparing stocks of anti-flu products for a potential pandemic and existing anti-asthma treatments.

Just 20 weeks ago the site was preparing for closure and redundancy. Now £25 million is being invested in new equipment and technology.

Although there has been some disappointment in the town that the contract workers have mostly been recruited from outwith the area, the permanent posts currently being advertised will be open to all comers, appropriately qualified.

“We are looking for posts to be filled across a wide range of disciplines,” said the company spokesman.

“The site is now getting a clearer picture of what its future role is going to be and we need to ensure the right skills are in place to take it forward.”

Montrose councillor Mark Salmond, whose ward includes the plant, said, “ I have always been confident Glaxo would expand the workforce as soon as the announcement was made that the Montrose plant was staying open.

“I am very pleased these new job opportunities could offer local people the chance of employment.

“Glaxo remains Montrose’s biggest employer and that yet more staff are being recruited is good news not just for Montrose but for the wider Angus economy.”