International biosciences company MilliporeSigma  is adding 500 new jobs to the Montgomery County region with its upcoming expansion project.

The company, known locally as BioReliance Corporation, is moving into a new 250,000 square-foot space at the Traville Gateway campus in Rockville, where it will retain at least 600 existing workers and add the new full-time positions. The company credits expanding its biosafety testing capacity in the Mid Atlantic due to Montgomery County's ideal East Coast location and accessibility to Maryland's highly trained and technical workforce.

MilliporeSigma is the U.S. and Canada life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company. This is the largest investment in contract testing in the history of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.

To assist with the expansion, MilliporeSigma is eligible for a $1 million conditional loan through the Maryland Department of Commerce's Advantage Maryland (MEDAAF) program. Montgomery County is providing a $100,000 incentive package through a grant convertible to a loan under its Economic Development Fund.

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Photo courtesy of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.