Ron Pugliese, center, the economic development director for Waterbury, opened a press conference yesterday morning by announcing that Unipharm was building a new packaging center on Progress Lane in the East End of the city. Pugliese partnered with the Waterbury Development Corporation, the State of Connecticut, and Mayor Neil O’Leary, back left, to successfully lure Unipharm to the Brass City. Pictured on the right is Unipharm’s chief operating officer, Robert Sires, who said his company considered more than 100 properties throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and chose Waterbury because of the tremendous feeling that Unipharm was wanted by local and state officials.
Ron Pugliese, left, took WDC’s Leo Frank and Pat McKinney, and Rob Michalik, from Congressman Chris Murphy’s office, on a tour of the 47,000 square foot facility that Unipharm will build out to meet its packaging specs.
Unipharm hopes to have its packaging center and and running by mid-summer. The company expects to hire 50 employees, and with future expansion plans, more employment opportunities may present themselves in the months and years ahead.
Unipharm’s website states that “Unipharm, Inc. is a privately owned American pharmaceutical company specializing in the development and marketing of quality, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and nutritional products. Since 1992 our company has consistently grown, and continues to provide award-winning, quality products to our customers in many different countries.”
Waterbury Development Corporation’s Tom Gentile, left, conferred with Chris Adamo, Unipharm’s new facility general manager yesterday at the press conference. Gentile played a critical role in recruiting Unipharm, as did realtors John Famiglietti and Ralph Calabrese, who showed Uniphram the property.
Unipharm CEO Robert Spires explained to Waterbury Mayor Neil O’Leary where his products are shipped to around the world. O’Leary, who hinged his successful 2011 mayoral campaign on economic development, was elated at what he described as “the first major coup of our administration”. O’Leary was quick to point out the key to recruiting Unipharm was the collaboration between the mayor’s office, his economic development team, the Waterbury Development Corporation and the state. “This is the first coup and we expect many more in the years ahead,” O’Leary said. “Collaboration is the key.”