Diversified Bio-Medics, Inc. recently announced that it has chosen Snohomish County, Washington, as the site of a $60 million pharmaceutical manufacturing facility that will generate more than 100 jobs. DBMI, which provides contract manufacturing facilities and support services for biotech companies, searched throughout the West Coast before focusing on Snohomish County.

“This is an exciting opportunity for us to showcase the Pacific Northwest and to help Washington State improve its bio-manufacturing climate,” said Garry Montgomery, chairman & CEO of Diversified Bio-Medics, Inc.

In choosing Snohomish County over the Bay Area and San Diego, DBMI officials found that building/operating costs, utility cost and availability, housing, growth potential, taxes and overall cost/value favored Snohomish County. The existence of a growing biotech presence in the metropolitan Seattle area also influenced their decision.

Another factor was the State Legislature’s passage of a bill that extends an existing sales tax exemption for manufacturing facilities to the biomedical sector. The EDC took an active role in developing that legislation. DBMI could be the first firm to take advantage of the program.

The company will serve a larger geographic market, including the California biotech centers, as this new facility will be the only contract-manufacturing site in the Western United States.