US Pharma Packaging Maker To Upgrade Singapore Plant

West Company Singapore (formerly West Pharmapack), a US pharmaceutical packaging manufacturer, plans to upgrade its manufacturing operations in the Republic within the next two years. The company is discussing with Singapore's Economic Development Board its reinvestment project, as well as an extension of its pioneer status, which allows a company to pay concessionary corporate tax for a specified period of time - normally five to 10 years - and which expires next year.

Under the proposed upgrading, the company's plans to install more high-technology equipment to make its Jurong plant more capital-intensive, to boost productivity and yield, said managing director Michael Teng. He added that the company expects its revenues to grow by at least 15% over the next three years, but declined to disclose this figure, or the value of the planned investment.