Industry News

Erbe USA hosted the grand opening of its new Marietta headquarters on April 5, 2002. The 24,000-sf facility accommodates 35 full-time employees and 30 independent contractors. The facility houses the North American operations of German parent firm, Erbe Elektromedizin, a privately held medical device company based in Tubingen.

The International Genomics Consortium (IGC), a non-profit medical research organization, plans to decide the location of its administrative headquarters in summer 2002. Among states under consideration are Arizona, Texas, Maryland, and Georgia. The genomics consortium will house research labs, administrative offices and a center coordinating off-site research. The IGC utilizes data from the Human Genome Project to search for cures for disease.

As part of its master alliance program with Kaiser Permanente, McCarthy is beginning tenant build-out for a $10-million medical office building in Folsom, Calif. Designed by architect Gordon H. Chong & Partners of Sacramento, the three-story, 116,000-sf structure will contain adult primary care, OB/GYN, optical, pharmacy, radiology, pediatric, and medical records areas, as well as exam room space. Adhering to a tight nine-month schedule, McCarthy is performing the TI work concurrent with the building's construction.

GlaxoSmithKline has completed a $13-million  cGMP upgrade of the Tums® manufacturing site--the only such facility in the world. McCarthy performed upgrades to the 70-year-old plant, which produces 10 billion tablets annually. Designed by architect Lockwood Greene Engineers, of Spartanburg, S.C., these upgrades affected every aspect of the manufacturing process, from raw material handling through packaging.

Eyetel Imaging is considering Maryland as a location for expansion of its manufacturing operations. Hoping to increase production, Eyetel, manufacturer of a digital camera that captures images of the eye, will attempt to pinpoint the site of the expansion in the next few months.