West Pharmaceutical owes 60 years of success to ‘clear mission’
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West Pharmaceutical Inc. has been a key member of Lycoming County's business community for over 60 years, manufacturing pharmaceutical supplies right here with locations both in Williamsport and Jersey Shore.
West Pharmaceutical Inc., or West, has a clear mission, according to David Lanzer, director of operations.
"We contain and deliver injectable therapies that improve patient lives," he said. "And more importantly, we are guided by our core values of passion for customers, leadership in quality and One West Team, and these values underpin our purpose to improve patient lives."
West provides innovative and high-quality injectable solutions, Lanzer said.
"As a trusted partner to established and emerging drug developers, West helps ensure the safe, effective containment and delivery of life saving and life enhancing medicines for patients," he said.
These products include medicine vial stoppers, syringe barrel plungers, metal seals and plastic buttons for vial enclosures. West produces a proprietary elastomer for those rubber components at sites such as the one on Oliver Street in Jersey Shore. The Williamsport site on Reach Road handles consumer products contract manufacturing.
West, headquartered in Exton, has grown since it acquired the Jersey Shore facility in 1963. In the 1970s, Lanzer said, the site added a clean room manufacturing operations and, in the '90s, added pharmaceutical washing of elastomeric components.
"Today, the site supplies a full range of sterile containment and injection components to manufacturers of injectable therapies," he said.
And the company continues to grow, Lanzer said.
"In fact, our Williamsport and Jersey Shore sites are both currently in expansion phases, enabling us to provide additional job opportunities and allowing us to better serve the growing needs of our customers."
West and Lycoming County have enjoyed a good partnership over the years.
"The strong labor skillset in Lycoming County has been very valuable for our sites, knowing as we continue to grow, we can fill our job opening opportunities with the dedicated and skilled workers in this region," said Lanzer.
West currently has over 500 team members at the Jersey Shore site and over 130 at the Williamsport site.
Lanzer also praised Pennsylvania's support of manufacturing and a strong partnership with Pennsylvania College of Technology.
"This partnership has been invaluable to West, providing skilled training and apprenticeships for our sites in Lycoming County," he said.
West also wants to be responsible with its production and partakes in what is known as ESG – Environments, Social and Governance.
"We are taking action to positively impact our environment through progress in recycled waste and global waste diversion; improvement in energy intensity; and reduction in water intensity, helping to make our processes more sustainable," Lanzer said.
The company was recognized for such efforts, too.
West was named one of USA Today's America's Climate Leaders for 2023, Newsweek's 2024 Americas Most Responsible Companies and Lycoming County's Large Business Award for companies that invest in the community.
West team members also volunteer their time and money back to the community, according to Lanzer.
"We are proud to give back to our communities, and have strong partnerships with many local non-profit organizations, including Camp Victory, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and North Central Site Services, an organization that provides services and employment to the vision impaired," he said.
As with many companies, big and small hiring and high cost of goods have challenged West in recent years.
"These challenges can be because of the competitive employment marketplace - and competing for labor with other employers in our community, and in addition, finding people with the skill sets required to successfully perform the job," Lanzer said.
But problems aren't without solutions and Lanzer said West Pharmaceutical Inc. is addressing them head on by improving efficiencies in operations to save time and cost as well as offering competitive wages, benefits and growth opportunities for employees.
"We also partner with Penn College of Technology, with apprenticeship and internal development programs, to ensure we are offering upskill opportunities for our team members, and they have the skill sets needed to successfully perform their jobs," he said.