Invest in France Agency international Office

Carole Resman GSK Biologicals SAS

“The North’s legendary work ethic is just one reason GSK Biologicals chose the region for our €500 million investment in vaccine production at Saint-Amand les Eaux.
Geographical proximity to Brussels - the GSK production site for the active ingredient of the new Cervarix® cervical cancer vaccine – was an essential logistical consideration, as was the superb transport infrastructure.
However, the hard-working, pro-business attitude of the northern regional authorities - before, during and after our investment – was the decisive reason we chose to expand production in the North Pas de Calais over other sites in Europe. In most places, they roll out the red carpet before you invest and then let you fend for yourself! Well, not in the North.
Right from the outset, the northern local and regional authorities mobilized to give us everything we needed, especially very structured information about employment for our recruitment. As a result we have recruited 80% of our 180 highly-qualified staff right here in the region, within a 50-60 km radius of the facility, and we’ll continue to tap regional expertise to double our staff to more than 500 by 2011.Through our partnership with the region, we are also set to benefit from France’s new investment tax credit and European funding totaling €14 million over the next three years.”

• The British healthcare group Glaxo- SmithKline (GSK) is the second largest pharmaceutical company in the world, employing 100,000 people in 116 countries.
• GSK Biologicals SAS is a subsidary of GSK Biologicals Belgium, which is a leading world producer of innovative vaccines.