Contract research company completes $40M expansion of Laval facility

Laval, QC – Non-clinical contract research organization, LAB Research, says it has completed the first phase of a 3-year $40 million facility expansion of its Canadian operations.

The facilities will now total 156,000 ft(2) and feature 80 rooms representing increases of 88% and 122%, respectively. The company says it has spent $24 million to date on the expansion plans, and it expects to invest a further $16 million in equipment over the next 2 years as it progressively fills up newly created capacity.

The company will also be offering new services to its global clientele. Bioanalytical and expanded analytical services will be offered during the next quarter. The new inhalation toxicology department will be validated for new studies to start before year-end. The drug metabolism laboratories will offer a full range of services early in 2009. Vivarium activities will be increased initially from 36 to 55 rooms while the remaining capacity will be made available this coming December.

“This expansion represents the largest investment the company has made to date,” says Luc Mainville, the company’s president and CEO. “We are now able to offer the desired capacity, improved scheduling flexibility and larger suite of services to our existing and potential clients.”

“While the expansion will allow us to potentially triple our Canadian revenues over the coming years, we intend to continue elevating our scientific contribution and study vigilance to ensure a controlled growth of our Canadian activities,” he adds. “We have, to date, been successful in staffing all key positions which a large proportion of veteran staff which will contribute to accelerate the start of the services and to maintain a high level of seniority throughout the organization.”

The company provides contract research services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agro-chemical, petro-chemical and industrial markets, and has state-of-the-art facilities in Canada, Denmark and Hungary.