Scottish Expansion: Medicinal Cannabis Company to Create 100 Jobs
Breathe Life Sciences, a multinational medical supply company, is set to open its first manufacturing and distribution center in the Scottish Borders, creating 36 jobs initially, with plans to increase the workforce to around 100 within three years. The company, based in Sydney, already has licensed manufacturing sites in Manchester, Prague, and Nagoya, Japan.
The expansion is driven by the growing demand for medicinal cannabis, which was legalized in the UK in 2018. The market is expected to continue growing, with the number of active patients increasing from 80,000 to over 190,000 by the end of the decade. The UK is the fastest-growing area in the European market, with a current annual value of around £250 million.
Local connections played a significant role in convincing BLS to open a factory in the Borders. The company’s directors, Gavin and Andrew Ogilvie, are from Melrose, and their involvement helped secure a grant of almost £350,000 and a further loan of £500,000 from South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE).
The facility will manufacture and distribute patient-ready products to meet both domestic and international markets. Although no cannabis will be grown on site, the manufacturing plant will still require a license from the Home Office. The company hopes to start production before the end of the year, with wider recruitment taking place after the summer.
The Scottish Borders Council and SOSE have been instrumental in supporting BLS’s expansion plans, recognizing the region’s potential as a hub for innovation and growth in the medicinal cannabis industry. The company’s CEO, Sam Watson, emphasized the importance of meeting demand and building a Scottish pharmaceutical manufacturing infrastructure to satisfy the UK market.
