MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, announced that the Life Science business strengthened its manufacturing capabilities for single-use assemblies, a key technology for the production of Covid-19 vaccines and other lifesaving therapies, by investing € 130 million in Molsheim, France. The investment is the largest ever in the 50-year history of the site and will create more than 800 jobs by the end of 2028.
"Merck is determined to provide patients in Europe and worldwide with reliable access to vaccines and life-saving therapies," said Belén Garijo, Chair of the Executive Board and CEO of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. "This investment in France is an integral component of our plans to expand our global manufacturing footprint and deliver superior customer value across the globe."
"France is central to our strategy to drive long-term growth and expand our global leadership position in Life Science," said Matthias Heinzel, Member of the Executive Board of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and CEO Life Science. "In recent years, many biopharmaceutical manufacturers have turned to single-use technologies for their flexibility, cost savings, speed, and reduced contamination risk, leading to double-digit market growth for this segment. The Covid-19 pandemic has reinforced this trend. The investment will accelerate the delivery of critical products and technologies our customers need to bring breakthrough treatments to patients in need around the world."
The expansion will further increase capacity for the manufacturing of single-use assemblies belonging to the Mobius® portfolio. The 37,000-square-feet ISO7 clean rooms, administrative building and new logistics warehouse are planned to be operational by the end of 2024, and will gradually ramp up to full production through 2028. In 2021, the Life Science business had already added a single-use assembly production unit for € 25 million. Molsheim is the first site in Europe where the company manufactures the product. Further production sites are located in Danvers, Massachusetts, USA, and Wuxi, China.
The manufacturing of single-use assemblies is part of the Process Solutions business, a global provider of products to the biopharmaceutical industry, and one of the "Big 3" growth drivers for the businesses of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany aims to increase sales to approximately € 25 billion by 2025. To achieve its growth targets, the company plans to increase its total investments between 2021 and 2025 significantly compared with the period from 2016 to 2020.
Over the next five years, the company will implement investment programs worldwide. Target countries include Germany, France, Switzerland, Ireland, China, and the USA. All expansion projects include clear targets for water consumption, waste management, and energy efficiency to support the company in meeting its goal to be climate neutral by 2040, in line with its sustainability strategy.
Recently, the Life Science business sector announced expansion projects in Verona, Wisconsin, USA; Cork, Ireland; Wuxi, China; Darmstadt, Germany; Buchs, Switzerland; Carlsbad, California, USA; Jaffrey, New Hampshire, USA; and Danvers, Massachusetts, USA. These expansions are part of an ambitious, multi-year program to increase the industrial capacity and capabilities of the Life Science business sector to support the growing global demand for lifesaving medications and to make significant contributions to public health.
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