Novartis plans construction of new manufacturing facility for solid dosage forms in Stein, Switzerland for more than CHF 500 millions
- Investment underlines importance of Stein as a global competence center forsterile and solid dosage forms and as a key launch site for new pharmaceutical products
- Construction of the new production facility to start in July 2012 and expected to befully operational by the end of 2016
- Investment of Novartis reinforces the continued commitment of the company to Switzerland
Basel, April 23, 2012 — Novartis announced today the construction of a new state-of-the-art facility for solid dosage forms in Stein with an investment volume of over CHF 500 million. The new facility will replace an older facility which will be partially demolished by 2016.
Stein will be a technological competence center for both sterile and solid dosage forms within the global production network. Novartis plans to expand the site's strategic role as a key platform for global launches of new pharmaceutical products.
"This investment is further strengthening the importance of Stein as Manufacturing Center of Excellence for sterile and solid dosage forms and will play a key role in our global production network", said Joseph Jimenez, CEO of Novartis. "It also strengthens our presence in Switzerland, which remains a center of key importance for Novartis."
The investment decision underlines the long-term strategy of Novartis to establish a worldwide manufacturing network of technology centers. The groundbreaking for the new production site is scheduled for July 2012 while the new facility is expected to be fully operational by end of 2016. The flexible and modular set-up of the new facility will help Novartis to meet its future product portfolio requirements while focusing on difficult to make products in the area of inhalation and highly active solids. The new set-up will allow Novartis to adapt its production capacity more quickly depending on an evolving portfolio and market demand. It will be a future-oriented center that will serve approximately 150 markets globally.
Two further investment projects in Stein are already in the implementation phase: For around CHF 60 million the production line for the manufacture of freeze-dried products is being modernized. This work has been ongoing since September 2011 and should be completed by 2014. Also under construction since last year is the new "Cube 2" building, which will increase the capacity of the Novartis data center. This extension, at a cost of CHF 125 million, is due for completion in 2013.
The Stein site in Canton Aargau is the largest production facility of the Pharmaceuticals Division. Every year, the approximately 1,400 associates at the site produce over 4.1 billion tablets, capsules, ampoules, prefilled syringes, vials and transdermal therapeutic systems, which are exported to over 150 countries. The Stein site thus plays a major part in the role of Novartis as one of the biggest exporters of the country. Novartis accounted for over 14% of all Swiss exports last year.
Further important projects in Switzerland
Apart from Stein, numerous other projects are also being planned and implemented: With due regard to the economic situation, further building projects will be realized on the Novartis Campus in Basel in the years to come with the aim of creating workspace for 10 000 associates by 2030. In addition, a test plant for innovative manufacturing technologies is being built at a cost of around CHF 34 million. At the chemical production site of Schweizerhalle in Canton Baselland, around CHF 42 million is currently being invested in plant optimization.
In Canton Zug the opening of a new building with 400 ultramodern workplaces is scheduled for 2013: As announced last summer, the present sites in Bern, Cham- Steinhausen and Hünenberg will be closed by then and operations moved to the new site in Rotkreuz. Likewise in Canton Zug the construction of a new Corporate Learning Center is planned.
Expansion projects are also being planned and implemented in western Switzerland: Alcon Pharmaceuticals Ltd. will open a new office building in Fribourg this October and investments of CHF 40 million are planned at the OTC site in Nyon aimed at modernizing production and improving productivity.
For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.
Novartis is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at http://twitter.com/novartis.
Novartis Media Relations
Central media line: +41 61 324 2200
Eric Althoff
Global Media Relations
Tel. +41 61 324 2200
e-mail: [email protected]