FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 26, 2018
In August of 2018, with the support of the Bedford County Development Association (BCDA) and the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Association (PIDA), LAMPIRE Biological Laboratories acquired an 180+ acre corporate dairy farm located adjacent to the existing corporate farm facilities in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. PIDA provides low-interest loans and lines of credit for eligible businesses that commit to creating and retaining full-time jobs in Pennsylvania. Funding may be used for land and building, construction and renovation costs, machinery and equipment purchases, to name a few. A variety of different industry sectors are eligible for PIDA financing including manufacturing, industrial, agricultural, research and development and many others.
LAMPIRE Biological Laboratories has earned primary vendor status with pharmaceutical, diagnostic, biotechnology and medical device corporations worldwide. Commitment to quality and customer service has established Lampire as a key resource for clients through the research and development, scale-up and optimization stages of product development and subsequent production. Lampire also serves academia and government research agencies involved in the areas of immunology, cell biology, cell signaling, pathology, molecular biology and clinical medicine. This purchase was essential to support Lampire's growing operational needs.
In addition to adding over 180+ acres of planting and pasturing property to the Lampire holdings, this real estate acquisiton offers over 30,000 square feet of barns and utility space. Lampire intends to house expanding goat and llama populations at the new farm. As the new facility undergoes retrofitting to make it compliant with stringent industry standards, additional vivariums for animal care will become available. Lampire is recognized for their wide array of species available for the production of biological materials used for drug testing, biological warfare and the manufacturing of raw materials for diagnostic and research use. With bordering property lines to the current Lampire farm, this conveniently situated space in Everett will also be used for making and banking hay and storing equipment. Also, due to the condition, accessibility and size of the outbuildings, this property will serve as the maintenance shop for the 600+ acres of Everett farm facilities.
Founded in Doylestown, PA in 1977, Lampire Biological Laboratories has grown exponentially over the years. Through hard work and determination on the part of co-founder and owner, President and CEO, Gregory F. Krug, Lampire has transformed from a local raw biological product supplier to a global manufacturer of a large variety of biological blood products, reagents, immunochemicals, custom antibodies and many other products and services.
This property acquisition is the latest along the timeline of strategic growth for Lampire. Starting with forty acres in Bucks County, Krug and his team set out to acquire and retrofit laboratory facilities to meet this highly regulated research related industry. The first of these facilities opened in 1986. Next, in 1989, with just over a decade on the books, Lampire acquired property to expand operations and established themselves in the western part of Pennsylvania. After another ten years, back in eastern PA, the 18,000 square foot Biotech Research and Resource Center was opened for business. Turn the clock ten years later to 2007, where renovation to an existing industrial space resulted in a state-of-the-art laboratory opening in Everett, PA. This facility was designed to support the expanding farm facilities located in Western, PA. Including this latest acquisition, the current landscape at Lampire encompasses over 130 employees, three cutting edge laboratory facilities and three production farm properties.
Not one to shy away from a challenge, Gregory F. Krug credits the growth of Lampire to being willing to take calculated risks and trusting in his mentors who have successfully guided him along his path to success. "This road has had many bumps and turns, Lampire would not be the company we are today, if not for the help of many people, especially the team at the BCDA, Bette Slayton, Terri Brumbaugh and Melanie Miller. This group was instrumental in helping Lampire secure property and settle in Bedford County in the early 1990s. Over the years, it has been my privilege to have been able to give back to our community as an advocate for technical workforce development in the life sciences. We actively work with the local schools to encourage the young people of Bedford County to seek employment right here. It has also been my privilege to have served as a
volunteer with the BCDA for over 20 years. Once again, almost 30 years later, their efforts have helped Lampire expand in Bedford County through the cooperative efforts of the BCDA, PIDA and the state of Pennsylvania. We hope to continue to provide job opportunities and valuable biological raw materials to diagnostic and research companies around the world, for many, many years to come."