SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — CooperVision has opened a new, 100,000 square-foot, high-volume manufacturing facility at Coyol Industrial Park in Alajuela, Costa Rica, the company announced earlier this week.

The Costa Rica plant is the company’s second site for clariti 1-day silicone hydrogel lens manufacturing, joining an existing facility in Budapest, Hungary. CooperVision also maintains high-volume manufacturing plants in the United Kingdom and Puerto Rico for its Biofinity, MyDay and other brands.

“Our partnership with eyecare professionals around the world is leading the more rapid adoption of 1-day silicone hydrogel contact lenses, and our new facility near the capital city of San Jose will help us produce millions of clariti lenses each year to help meet surging demand,” said Fernando Torre, chief operations officer, CooperVision. “We have been heartened by the warm, eager welcome that all of us have received, and we look forward to a long and prosperous relationship with the people of Costa Rica.”

The facility currently employs 250 local residents, with the potential to add up to 300 employees in the next three to five years. The company has the option to expand the plant, as well.

After a global review, CooperVision chose Coyol Industrial Park in part due to state-of-the-art infrastructure, an advanced communications network, a highly-educated work force, and competitive construction and operating costs, the company said. Other multinational medical device companies such as Abbott Vascular, Helix Medical, Hologic Surgical Products and St. Jude Medical are also located in the area.

CooperVision partnered with local architects in Alajuela to plan smart growth and sustainable development plans to maximize land use and minimize environmental impact. The design of the facility, its operating processes and even accommodations for public transportation have led to it being the most advanced green facilities of its kind within the company and the eyecare industry, the company said, noting its designation as a LEED Master Site.

The plant features a high-efficiency luminary system with natural light support in its main corridors, a vegetable oil-powered main transformer to reduce energy and environmental waste, a lubricated air compressor to cut energy consumption. The plant’s operating processes were designed for energy conservation, as well.

Up to 90 percent of solid waste and 100 percent of plastic components generated by the manufacturing process will be recycled, and over 90 percent of electricity consumed at the plant will be generated from renewable sources, including hydroelectric power stations. The plant has a reduce, reuse, recycle waste management program, and is a tobacco-free campus with motorcycle facilities and a dedication to mass transportation for employees.