Pisgah Labs Expansion
Some thoughts about the recent Pisgah Labs expansion announcement:
-Pisgah Labs is essentially expanding in a 2 phase project, culminating in a 80,000 sf manufacturing facility that will be producing medications, potentially bringing $55,000,000 in taxable investments and 57 nes high paying jobs. This is all really exciting news!
But, there other issues to consider when looking at this project:
-Pisgah Labs was recently bought by Ipca Labs, based in India. They are a global pharmaceutical company. Jake Dalton even said specifically they were happy to bring a foreign company into Brevard. Not an American business.
-Ipca Labs has has multiple serious FDA violations and was indicted by the FDA in a “cascade of failure”
https://www.fiercepharma.com/…/ipca-labs-plant-blasted…
-Ipca has an ESG “Severe” risk rating for investment
-The County Commission approved a $2,000,000 incentive grant of public money for this project
In their comments, Commissioners said that their board had done more for economic development in the county than any board in recent memory.
Let’s look at this a little more carefully:
-Pisgah Labs has been here since 1981. They have been a great asset for our community, but an expansion is a natural next step for them. It is great that they choose not to RELOCATE, which makes sense for the company since they are established here.
-Pisgah Labs will expand at their current location, which has no county sewer or water. Jake Dalton mentioned they are working or that issue, looking at additional grant money. What are the expenses for that?
-Why do the Commissioners support giving an established company in the county $2,000,000 in incentives but refuse to support projects like the Ecusta Trail that will ALSO bring in millions of dollars and at least 20-30 jobs but require NO public funding. Ecusta is a huge economic development project the board actively tried to derail. Some members are still trying to stop it.
-Econ Development means a lot more than giving companies huge grants. What about workforce housing, education, infrastructure, healthcare, seniorcare and childcare? They have acted on NONE of these issues that would promote development in our County.
-The Commissioners mentioned, as part of their economic development push, the ground breaking for water and sewer infrastructure between Gaia Herbs and Rosman. This is solely a function of ARPA funds awarded to the county only possible due to the Biden administration ARPA legislation.
So, this Commission SHOULD feel proud of this accomplishment. It is really good news. To claim they are the most proactive economic development Commission in recent memory is laughable.
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