A Puerto Rico-based company that builds piping systems used in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries is locating a facility in Garner.

UltraPure Systems will open an office and stainless steel fabrication facility in the town's Greenfield North Business Park.

It will employ about 50 engineers and skilled manufacturing workers in the first year. Some of the employees will come from Puerto Rico but most will be hired locally. The company did not receive any state or local incentives.

In a statement, UltraPure's president Cesar Roca said the company will invest about $500,000 in the existing 12,000 square foot facility. He added that the plan was to open by April 1.

Roca said the company planned to make Garner its engineering center for servicing global customers. The site also will be the base of UltraPure's North American operations.

UltraPure was started in 1999, and on its website lists clients such as Abbott Labs, AstraZeneca, Baxter, GlaxoSmithKline, BASF, Pfizer and Merck.