Fresenius Medical Care North America, the nation’s largest network of dialysis facilities, will locate in Brundidge.

The announcement was made Tuesday afternoon at a “groundbreaking” ceremony at 103 South Main Street in Brundidge.

The new facility will enable Fresenius Medical Care’s local team of expert medical professionals to better serve the Pike County area’s growing dialysis community.

Fresenius, a German company with a massive presence in the United States, is headquartered in Boston. With 55,000 employs nation wide, Fresenius is a sizable and stable company, said Brundidge Mayor Jimmy Ramage.

“We are excited to have Fresenius locate in Brundidge,” Ramage said. “Not only will the facility offer a much needed medical service to the people of our area, it will also bring jobs to Brundidge.

“This is the first medical service that has been offered here in Brundidge other than family medical practices. We are proud to have Fresenius locate in Brundidge and certainly want to welcome Fresenius to town.”

The 8,000-square-foot Brundidge facility will be a10-station dialysis clinic and will have six to10 fulltime employees with the potential for growth.

Ramage said the Fresenius facilities in Troy and Greenville have experience large increases in the number of patients served.

The large increase in the number of patients at the Troy facility facilitated the need for an additional facility in the area along U.S. Highway 231.

“Brundidge was chosen and we are proud to be able to offer this type of medical service right here at home,” Ramage said.

Dr. Bill McGuffin, one of six nephrologists on the Montgomery-based Fresenius staff, said that Fresenius has 3,100 dialysis facilities worldwide, “from Russia, to China to South America to here.”

“The Troy facility now has 90 patients and we needed to unload and expand and Brundidge was an ideal place,” McGuffin said. “This Fresenius location will be good for Brundidge and good for our patients. It will be much more convenient for the patients who are currently having to travel to Troy for treatment.”

McGuffin said that the goal of Fresenius is to keep patients in good health and one of the staff nephrologists will supervise the facility every week.

In response to the question as to whether patients will be taken on first-come basis, McGuffin said that if there is a need for dialysis services “we will take care of you.”

The Fresenius dialysis facility will be located at 700 Sara G. Lott Blvd. and is slated to open in late 2013 or early 2014, depending on state licensing and certification once construction of the facility is completed.