BARTOW, Fla. — A new pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Bartow will help alleviate a shortage in America's hospitals.
An advanced robotics plant will soon be pushing out a steady supply of IV bags in Bartow.
“Two to 3,000 bags per hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said CEO of Assure Infusions Alex Lucio.
Assure Infusions is building a state-of-the-art, semi-automated facility that will manufacture up to 30 million sterile IV bags annually.
“The role of using robotics, we use it for visual inspection systems, for quality insurance, we use it to handle products, to move products from one conveyor to another,” Lucio said.
Lucio tells ABC Action News IV fluids, are in high demand in the U.S. health care system because of ongoing shortages.
“Any pandemic, even a really aggressive flu season challenges the supply chain. So, we hope to create enough capacity to have ample supply and avoid shortages in the future,” Lucio said.
This facility will not only ensure that hospitals can function without interruption but will bring 100 new jobs to Bartow, with a median salary of $75,000.
“Bartow Economic Development Council is very excited to have Assure Infusions to help with our continued increase in wages, to help with our quality of life,” said President of Bartow Economic Development Council, Denise Bohde.
Building a new manufacturing facility is great timing for the city, which is estimated to grow by more than 7,000 people in the next few years.
“We’re going to bring the jobs here, that are really going to attract people who have the higher education and they’re looking to get out of the big city life, the areas that have traffic. You’re going to be looking at Bartow,” said Mayor Steve Githens.
A groundbreaking for Assure Infusions is scheduled for October.
