Hollister-Stier Laboratories LLC, the Spokane-based pharmaceutical manufacturer, is planning a $4 million manufacturing upgrade at its East Spokane plant, says Tony Bonanzino, the companys president and CEO.


The company is in the final stages of selecting a design firm for the remodeling of an as-yet-undetermined amount of manufacturing and warehouse space at Hollister-Stiers 120,000-square-foot plant at 3525 N. Regal, Bonanzino says.


We have seen nearly a 900 percent increase in our contract-manufacturing business this year, says Bonanzino. Our business is growing dramatically, and in order to stay ahead, we have to be planning for growth now.


About $3 million of the total project cost will go toward the purchase and installation of equipment for a commercial-scale, freeze-drying process that will enhance the companys ability to move from the final stage of pharmaceutical trials to commercial pharmaceutical production, he says.


Much of the clinical work we do uses a freeze-drying process, Bonanzino says. When the trial period ends, the clinical validation is complete, and the product is successful, youre looking at additional orders of a magnitude that quickly eats up all our available clinical (freeze-drying) capacity. This will give us the ability to scale up products into commercial-size batches.


Construction of the freeze-drying facility is expected to begin by the second quarter of next year and to take nearly 18 months to complete, he says.


This latest project comes on the heels of Hollister-Stiers development of a $1.4 million clean room, that the company will use for small-quantity pharmaceutical manufacturing. With general contractor Lydig Construction Inc., of Spokane, just now wrapping up work on that project, Hollister-Stier is preparing to place orders for the equipment for the freeze-drying manufacturing facility within the next three to six months, he says. The company plans to seek bids for the remodeling work early next year.


In conjunction with the planned expansion of its manufacturing facilities, Hollister-Stier, which currently has about 250 employees, plans to add 12 management-level staff members who will be involved in the companys growing contract-manufacturing operation and will have responsibilities in quality assurance, validation, engineering, and manufacturing, Bonanzino says. The company had previously announced plans to hire a swing shift of between six and 12 pharmaceutical manufacturing-line employees in support of its contract manufacturing operations. No other hirings are planned currently.