Catalan pharmaceutical Grífols unveils world´s largest plasma fractionation plant in North Carolina

Clayton (ACN).– A plasma fractionation plant installed in Clayton, North Carolina by the company Grífols was unveiled on Tuesday by the President of the Catalan Government, Artur Mas, along with the President and CEO of the pharmaceutical, Víctor Grífols, and the State Governor, Pat McCrory. The new plant is 14,400 square metres big, will create over 200 jobs and represents an investment of 260 million euros. Expected to be operational by 2015, it will the largest and one of the most advanced plasma fractionation plants in the world. Grífols already has 2,300 employees in the state of North Carolina and the largest workforce in Johnston County. Based in Greater Barcelona, Grífols is among the world's top pharmaceuticals within the blood-derivates market, being particularly present in the US through this strategic market. Besides, a few weeks ago, Víctor Grífols gave his support to the Catalan President and the self-determination process, which he confirmed on Tuesday by clarifying he is supporting a "legal" vote on the issue. The Catalan President insisted from the States that Catalonia's self-determination process will continue despite the pressures from the Spanish Government in order to guarantee that citizens will be able to vote on 9 November.

Catalan President Artur Mas firstly visited the new plant with Víctor Grífols, the Catalan Minister for the Economy, Andreu Mas-Colell, and the Spanish Ambassador to the United States, Ramon Gil-Casares. After the tour, they were joined by the Governor of North Carolina, Pat McCrory, who held a brief private meeting with the entire delegation. There followed the opening ceremony itself, which was also attended by the Mayor of Clayton, Jody L. McLeod, and Sergi Mingote. the Mayor of Parets del Vallès, the Catalan town in Greater Barcelona where Grífols is based.

Mas affirms the Catalan self-determination vote on November 9 will go ahead, “whatever they say”

From Clayton, North Carolina, Artur Mas responded to the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel García-Margallo, who has been campaigning against holding a vote for Catalan independence on 9 November, 2014, and has warned of "catastrophic consequences" in case of independence. Mas reaffirmed that the self-determination process would continue regardless of what the Spanish Government said, and argued that the “conflict” could be avoided if Madrid was willing to “sit down to negotiate the terms of the referendum.” Mas complained that the Minister was talking about the “catastrophic” consequences of independence, and was “campaigning [against self-determination and independence] without letting us vote.”