MSD Animal Health, known as Merck Animal Health in the U.S. and Canada, announced Aug. 7 plans to purchase a new manufacturing facility in Krems an der Donau, Austria, with the intention to expand its global vaccine manufacturing capacity.

The facility, currently owned by Shire plc., was built in 2002 and will add to the company’s global manufacturing capabilities.

“This new manufacturing site is ideally located in central Europe. It provides MSD Animal Health additional manufacturing resources and advanced technology platforms to meet the growing demand for our vaccine products that prevent disease and keep animals healthy while positioning us for strong long-term growth,” said Joseph Morrissey, senior vice president, operations, MSD Animal Health.

“We are excited to expand our footprint to Krems,” added Dr. Hans-Günther Dittrich, vice president, Europe, Russia, North Africa, Middle East region. “Krems is the home to several distinct universities, and a rich tradition as an economic center for bio-pharmaceuticals. It is a great opportunity for us to tap into the innovative science in the area.”

MSD Animal Health has a substantial global manufacturing footprint and is a leader in animal health vaccines with a range of global vaccines products for animal health diseases.

MSD Animal Health intends to immediately begin renovating the facility and expects to be ready for production in the coming years. Additional terms of the deal will not be disclosed.

For more than a century, MSD, a leading global biopharmaceutical company, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases. MSD Animal Health, known as Merck Animal Health in the U.S. and Canada, is the global animal health business unit of MSD.