Boehringer Ingelheim opens European veterinary research centre

Boehringer Ingelheim has expanded its European animal health operations with the opening of a new veterinary research centre in Hanover, Germany.

The facility has been created using an investment of more than 40 million euros (32 million pounds) and will focus on the development of new animal vaccines for the livestock sector.

Presently, around 50 members of staff are researching new products at the centre, with plans in place to expand the site's workforce to 80 people by 2016.

Encompassing more than 50 laboratories with animal accommodation facilities, the new research site complements Boehringer Ingelheim's existing animal health centres in the US, Mexico, China and Japan.

Hubertus von Baumbach, Boehringer Ingelheim's board member responsible for finance and animal health, said: "The animal health business is of fundamental strategic importance for us and contributed significantly, with around one billion euros, to the company's total net sales in 2011."

This comes after the firm expanded its vaccine product range earlier this year with the launch of its new MycoFLEX Headspace bottle, for use in the mixing of pig vaccines Ingelvac CircoFLEX and Ingelvac MycoFLEX.