DuPont opens biopharma tubing manufacturing site in the U.S.

DuPont opens a new facility in South Carolina expanding its biopharma processing tubing manufacturing capabilities.

DuPont celebrated the opening of its new DuPont Liveo Healthcare Solutions manufacturing facility located at the Cooper River Site in South Carolina with a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by state and local government officials and business leaders. The new facility will expand capacity for biopharmaceutical tubing extrusion to meet increased demand from Liveo customers.

The site, located near Moncks Corner, South Carolina operates using the same quality standards as the DuPont Healthcare Industries Materials Site (HIMS) in Hemlock, Michigan – DuPont’s long-standing healthcare manufacturing site. Operators at the new South Carolina facility were certified at HIMS.

“The Cooper River site will bring additional production capacity online over the next two years to serve strategic customers and expand our Liveo Healthcare Solutions customer base,” said DuPont healthcare & specialty lubricants global business director Eugenio Toccalino. “We’re committed to investing in our healthcare business, and this biopharma processing manufacturing investment at Cooper River is a key milestone in our growth strategy that will help us offer a highly reliable and sustainable product supply.”

DuPont worked with local companies – including more than 40 subcontractors on the site expansion project.

“Being selected as the second dedicated healthcare site is indeed an honour and a reflection of our team’s track record of dedication, ownership, and commitment to our Core Values and excellence in meeting customers’ needs. Thanks to collaboration between the DuPont team and our contractor partners, the Cooper River site was completed within 17 months – on time, on budget, and without a single recordable safety incident,” said Bill Alexander, DuPont Cooper River site leader. “The opening of the site already has enabled the creation of 25 jobs for startup, with another 25 expected by mid-2024 as we ramp up operations.”

The ribbon-cutting event included remarks from South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Berkeley County Supervisor Johnny Cribb, DuPont Electronics & Industrial Vice President and General Manager Sam Ponzo, Toccalino, and Alexander. Attendees also toured the site.

In addition to the Cooper River expansion, in the second half of 2022, the company expects to add biopharma silicone tubing capacity in China to serve the fast-growing customers in that region.