Evonik has started construction of a biotechnology expansion at its Fermas site in Slovenská Ľupča, Slovakia. 

The project is part of the company’s approximately €80 million investment to expand its biotechnology capabilities and strengthen its contract manufacturing services for drug substances. The expansion is expected to be completed in early 2028.

The project will add advanced downstream fermentation technology to the site, increasing its capacity to develop and manufacture complex pharmaceutical intermediates. The expansion is expected to create around 50 new jobs and further establish the Fermas facility as one of Evonik’s key biotechnology manufacturing sites.

Biotechnology is becoming increasingly important in pharmaceutical manufacturing as fermentation processes can be used to produce complex molecules. Compared with conventional chemical synthesis, fermentation can reduce the use of organic solvents and process-related waste for certain intermediates.

The Fermas site operates using 100% renewable electricity and uses renewable and certified raw materials in selected production processes. The expansion is expected to support more sustainable manufacturing of pharmaceutical intermediates while increasing production capacity.

The project builds on more than 30 years of fermentation expertise at the Fermas site. Established in 1992, the facility has developed from an amino acid production site into a biotechnology manufacturing hub serving the pharmaceutical, personal care, nutrition and specialty chemicals industries.

In recent years, Fermas has also expanded its biotechnology activities, including the development of an industrial-scale facility for rhamnolipid biosurfactant production. The site works with local universities to support research, innovation and the development of skilled engineering talent.

The investment further strengthens Evonik’s biotechnology manufacturing network and supports the company’s strategy to provide scalable and sustainable solutions for pharmaceutical production.

 

Source: evonik.com

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