DSM Pharmaceuticals is making a big impact on the community that is home to its North Carolina manufacturing site.

DSM, which has a facility in Greenville, has been selected as Pitt County’s Industry of the Year for 2012-2013.

Each year, the Pitt County Development Commission receives nominations from Pitt County citizens to recognize a manufacturer or distributor that demonstrates achievement in human, social, economic and environmental sustainability.

“We’re delighted to receive this award. We have a dedicated team of people that strive every day to meet the stringent needs of our customers in supplying safe, affordable medicines to patients the world over,” said Laura Parks, president and business unit director. “Pitt County provides a great operating environment for our business and our mission.”

Since 2001, DSM has invested more than $160 million to ensure its Greenville facility offers state-of-the-art technology, from production and quality processes to project management systems and regulatory support.

The company’s investment has led to the creation of a 1.5-million-square-foot complex, spread across 29 buildings on 640 acres. Thanks to impressive engineering and operational capabilities, the site is a leading facility for the manufacture of aseptic liquid fill, lyophilized products and oral dosage forms, along with related services.

That facility has put DSM in high demand for reliable and flexible pharmaceutical services. For example, when the supplier of a cervical cancer medicine was shut down by the FDA due to regulatory compliance issues, DSM was able to step in and take over manufacturing the product, as one of very few companies with a facility capable of handling the job. DSM was able to put the product, which was in high demand but scarcely available, back on the market within a year. Typically, this process takes roughly three years.

One of the most valuable resources at DSM’s disposal in Pitt County is the pool of talented workers. The company offers customized training for each employee, including offering technical skill development through programs at East Carolina University, Pitt Community College and other training delivery organizations.

“DSM Pharmaceuticals being awarded Pitt County’s Industry of the Year is a testimony to the entire organization in Greenville,” said Carson Sublett, vice president of operations and site manager. “As one community at DSM, working together to ensure our patients never have to face a day without medicine they depend upon is a labor of love. Being located in Pitt County is a blessing for DSM.”

The company has been recognized by the American Heart Association two years in a row as a Platinum Award recipient for workplace health and wellness, which puts DSM in the top 10 percent of all companies in the U.S. for the promotion, investment and performance of employee health and wellbeing.

DSM has also given back to the community in which they operate. The company has made contributions to the United Way, Relay for Life, the American Heart Association, the March of Dimes and other charitable organizations. DSM has also contributed equipment to Operation Sunshine, Pitt Community College and East Carolina University and partnered with Pitt County Schools to sponsor Excellence in Education tours.

The pharmaceuticals company has also helped lead the way in environmental and conservation efforts in Pitt County. DSM has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy as a leader in the reduction of energy usage, contributing to the company’s global recognition as one of the top sustainability companies in the world.

“This business could be built anywhere in the world, but this area provides a unique differentiator for our business’ success. The people, who are the true business, make the difference for DSM,” said Sublett. “The capabilities, commitment, and an unquenched thirst to continuously improve is characteristic of the DSM community in Greenville, N.C. The recognition is wonderful; however, knowing the benefits our work provides people we’ll never meet, is recognition we get every day.”

(C) NC Biotech Center