JOHOR BAHRU, United States-based medical device company Insulet Corporation's new manufacturing facility in Johor Bahru will position the company strategically to stay ahead of the huge demand for its tubeless insulin pump products under the brand Omnipod. In a statement today, the company said the approximately 37,161-square metre facility -- twice the size of Insulet's highly automated manufacturing facility in Massachusetts, United States -- would strengthen its global operational capabilities and supply chain resiliency. The new facility currently employs over 350 full-time workers, and the company plans to expand the workforce to more than 1,000 in the coming years as part of a US$200 million (US$1=RM4.41) investment in the region. 'Our new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Malaysia positions us strategically to stay ahead of the huge demand for Omnipod, ensuring our customers have uninterrupted access to our products from this thriving region with great talent,' said Insulet's president and chief executive officer Jim Hollingshead. The new manufacturing facility was designed with sustainable elements to achieve Green Building Index (GBI) certification and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification, which is part of Insulet's global efforts to minimise its environmental impact in the areas where it operates. The nearly 5.26-hectare site features more than 5,700 solar panels, generating approximately 15 per cent of the building's power needs. Additionally, the facility includes an underground rainwater harvesting system with three capture units, capable of meeting 30 per cent of the landscaping water requirements, thereby reducing the strain on local water resources. Source: BERNAMA News Agency