MEDICAL DEVICE FIRM EXPANDS IN DEERFIELD BEACH

MEDICAL DEVICE FIRM EXPANDS IN DEERFIELD BEACH

More good news for Broward County. Another company has decided to stay and to expand. This time it is SHL Pharma, based in Deerfield Beach. They design and produce drug delivery systems that allow people to inject themselves with medicine. They make the equipment parts in Taiwan and then ship them to Deerfield Beach for final assembly and shipment. Once known only for their rheumatoid arthritis auto injectors, the company has expanded its product line to include pen injectors and pulmonary and nasal auto delivery systems. If one of those got into the hands of a drug addict it sounds like it could be a real problem. Another benefit of a company expansion: added jobs. They had 44 employees before the expansion announcement. Now they plan on hiring 30 more people at average salaries of $55,000. This is higher than the Palm Beach County average and not sure what that is for Broward but I bet it is more than that too. They will be looking to hire engineers, quality assurance specialists and product construction workers for the new positions. This is one of those feel good Florida growth stories, since this company was lured from New Jersey in 2011. They renovated their manufacturing, research and development center to the tune of $6 million dollars and need more space now. SHL qualified for $90,000 in tax refund incentives from the state and city since they are hiring at least 30 people. Finally, there is Bob Swindell, president of the Greater Ft. Lauderdale Alliance seeking some credit for the deal. He said that SHL’s expansion was in part the result of a special program focused on Broward companies with the potential to expand. Seems very top secret, I have never read about such a program. No, I think this expansion is a result of lots of things, certainly lower priced office space in Florida as compared to New Jersey, lower or no taxes and the improving economy played a part I am sure but really who cares? All that matters is that another company, in the healthcare and technology sector, is staying and expanding here. Thank you SNL Pharma! As always, thanks for reading and have a great day.