Local vitamin company expands at home, abroad

Vitamin Research Products has doubled its manufacturing and office space in Carson City, and opened a company in Singapore to break into the Asian market.

Rob Watson, the company's president and chief executive officer, said Tuesday the move from Highway 50 East to a 55,000 square-foot building at 4610 Arrowhead Drive was a year-long process.

"We have moved into a facility that is double what we were in," he said. "It's really staging us for future growth. And this brand-new facility was built for FDA (Federal Drug Administration) and GMP (good manufacturing practices) regulations."

Moving 70 employees and all the equipment took most of December. Watson said the company's 24-hour phone and Internet service was down one day. Since moving to the larger building, he said they've added about six employees.

Watson also formed a marketing and sales arm of the company in Singapore, which he hopes will be a gateway into Asia.

"We suspect that will add substantial growth to our business. We're looking to a potential 30 to 50 percent growth this year."

He said the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome last year in Asia may spur increased sales of vitamin supplements.

"We feel Asia is going to be a growing opportunity because they are looking for high-quality products and they're looking to the U.S. for those."

Singapore is ranked in the 2005 Index of Economic Freedom as the second highest country for economic freedom. According to the report, its investment laws are clear and fair and it poses few problems for business.

Watson said the Carson City manufacturing plant will begin supplying vitamin products to Asia by the middle of this year. He predicts this expansion will bring in a $1 million profit the first year.

Established in the Bay area about 26 years ago, Vitamin Research Products moved to Carson City in 1991, just after Watson took over the company. He said he moved the company to Nevada to get a new start. Vitamin Research Products manufactures and distributes nutritional supplements. It has a call center, manufacturing floor, graphics, accounting, sales and Internet departments all based in Carson City.

Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.