FRAMINGHAM, MA-Genzyme Corp. plans to develop a 300,000-sf manufacturing plant here next to the company's existing campus, which already includes manufacturing facilities, research and development laboratories and administrative offices. Construction is scheduled to begin this fall and the plant is expected to be operational by 2004.

The multi-million dollar plant is part of the biotechnology and health care products company's initiative to substantially expand its manufacturing capacity to support the growth of existing products and the launch of products within its development pipeline. The initiative calls for several major new facilities in the United States and Ireland to come on line over the next five years. The company currently operates 14 manufacturing facilities throughout the world.

“We are actively expanding our manufacturing capabilities in a comprehensive way in order to support our current and anticipated growth,” Henri A. Termeer, chairman and chief executive officer of Genzyme Corp. says in a released statement. “The investments we have made in our pipeline over the last several years are creating numerous opportunities to commercialize products in the near future.”