Ego Pharmaceuticals officially unveiled its $35 million Dandenong South headquarters.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt did the honours on Thursday 22 February.
He spoke about the importance of Ego Pharmaceuticals within the health industry, highlighting that many Ego products were routinely used in hospitals, aged care facilities and doctors’ surgeries.
“Virtually everywhere I go there is Aqium attached to the walls of the wards,” he said.
“My daughter has a very mild eczema, so she uses QV, and my son is an eight-year-old boy, so he uses the lice protection products, as should every eight-year-old boy in Australia.”
Chemist Gerald Oppenheim founded Ego in 1953 when he started to create skin care products to meet dermatology patients’ needs.
It now produces 120 products in Melbourne and exports to more than 20 nations. Almost half of its sales are now overseas.
“You create jobs, you create wealth for Australia, but above all else you are part of a grand sector which is evolving and translating research and discovery, into delivery and better health outcomes for Australia,” Mr Hunt said.
Ego was awarded the Australian Exporter of the Year at last year’s annual Australian Exporter of the Year Awards.
“Six years ago we had 300 employees,” managing director Alan Oppenheim said.
“Today we have 593 wonderful Ego staff across 12 nations.
“In six years we doubled our staff.
“Over the next six years we will likely double our business again, to create hundreds more new jobs.
“I believe that the best thing that we can do for the community is to grow high technology manufacturing in Australia, making products for the world.”
Scientific and operations director Dr Jane Oppenheim said the headquarters took about five years to set up.
“Paul Cushion, the mechanical engineer, has designed an energy and water-efficient building that meets our wish to engage in a technology inspired sustainable future,” she said.
“Technology such as the automated air exhaust system in the warehouse, that keeps it under 25 degrees even on the hottest of days without any refrigerated air-conditioning.
“We have solar panels, grey water and rain water systems and more.”
