This Golden LEAF grant will allow East Carolina University to increase capacity at its existing Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) training lab, add personnel and additional lab stations, and deliver new short courses on advanced scientific topics. The lab will train employees for Patheon, a contract development/ biomanufacturer which recently purchased DSM in Greenville in addition to other acquisitions in North Carolina, and other biomanufacturing companies in the region. Patheon expressed a need for a better trained workforce in Eastern North Carolina for the Greenville manufacturing site to be successful. Current employment at the former DSM facility in Greenville is 1,025. Patheon expects to create an additional 567 jobs in North Carolina and make a capital investment in the project of $159 million over the next five years. Four Hundred and eighty-eight of these employees are expected to work at the facility in Greenville. Average wages for the new positions will be $54,131 compared to the average Pitt County wage of $34,892. Golden LEAF funds will be used for equipment, renovations, supplies, maintenance, and personnel.
