HUENENBERG, Switzerland—Alcon (NYSE: ACL) plans to build a facility in Singapore that will manufacture pharmaceuticals to be distributed throughout most of Asia. The company plans to break ground next year, with the plant being fully functional in 2012.

By building this plant, Alcon will be able to more efficiently and cost-effectively distribute pharmaceuticals in the high-growth countries in Asia, an announcement said.

Over the past several years, Alcon’s sales of pharmaceuticals for diseases and conditions of the eye have risen at a compound annual growth of more than 20 percent in Asian markets, according to the company.

Alcon said it expects to manufacture more than 53 million units per year at the planned facility by the end of its third year of operation.