The Sino-German joint-venter, named Boehringer Ingelheim Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Co Ltd, cost US$41 million.

It is located in the economic hub's Pudong Zhangjiang High-Tech Park.

Rolf Krebs, chairman of the Board of Managing Directors of Boehringer Ingelheim, said that he was pleased with the new production plant and that it will give his company the opportunity to supply the huge Chinese market with innovative pharmaceuticals.

The company will produce medicines such as Atrovent, Combivent and Inflammide for respiratory diseases; Mobic for arthritis; and Micardis for high blood pressure.

The estimated annual production capacity of the new factory will be 150 million tablets, 6.2 million metered dose inhalers, 10 million bottles of liquid pharmaceuticals and 11.7 million unit dose vials, the chairman said at Tuesday's opening ceremony in Shanghai.

Dr Hans-Jegen Leuchs, who was responsible for production and technology for the Boehringer Ingelheim Board, said: "It was our intention to have a production facility in the Chinese market that can produce important dosage forms. This further strengthens our network of pharmaceutical plants in Japan, Indonesia, and South Korea."

The new factory is a joint venture between Boehringer Ingelheim and Shanghai Sine Pharmaceutical Co Ltd.

(China Daily March 7, 2002)