Barr Laboratories to expand and add 220 jobs in Forest

Bryan Gentry / Lynchburg News & Advance
Published: January 11, 2008

Barr Laboratories plans to expand its Forest operations and add 220 new jobs there over the next six years.

The expansion is a $62 million effort by the company to increase production and packaging capacity. Barr Labs also plans to incorporate a new technology for extended-release tablets in the Perrowville Road facility.

Nearly $2 million in incentives from Bedford County and the state encouraged and backed the expansion, which was announced by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's office Friday afternoon.

Bedford County will provide a $400,000 incentives package, which the Governor's Opportunity Fund will match.

The Virginia Tobacco Commission is paying $500,000 in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds. Kaine also approved a performance-based Virginia Investment Partnership grant of $500,000.

County supervisor John Sharp said the Board of Supervisors has discussed the expansion and the incentives in closed meetings since the fall.

"We believe it was a good investment because it's going to bring good jobs to our community," Sharp said.

"We're thrilled that they're willing to expand and bring new jobs to our community."

Barr Laboratories, a subsidiary of Barr Pharmaceuticals in New Jersey, purchased its 50-acre site in Forest in 1996. Since then, it has had a number of expansions, bringing its local employment to more than 500.

It is the largest private employer in Bedford County.

Carol Cox, spokesperson for Barr Pharmaceuticals, said the company bought PLIVA, a Croatian company, last year and is now moving some of Tliva's U.S. operations to Forest.

Barr will add some manufacturing jobs, plus some chemist jobs, she said.

The expansion will take place in two phases. The county will pay out just half of the incentives until the first phase is complete, said Sue Montgomery, Bedford's economic development director.

"Barr Laboratories is a company that I have had the pleasure of working with since they first came here," Montgomery said. "They have continued to gradually grow in a very healthy manner. Their growth has been in both facilities and equipment, but also in payroll."

"The fact that they are willing to locate in Forest, I think that is a testament to our work force, and the quality of the employees that are already working at Barr Labs," said Sharp. "The fact that they chose Forest is an honor that we should all be proud of.