80 Million Euro Investment Evonik Breaks Ground on New Biotechnology Expansion Project in Slovakia

Evonik has plans to invest approximately 80-million-euros to expand its biotechnology capabilities and strengthen its contract manufacturing services for the company’s drug substance business.

Essen/Germany – Evonik has broken ground on a new biotechnology expansion project at its Fermas site in Slovenská Ľupča, Slovakia. This marks the next major milestone in the approximately 80-million-euro investment to expand Evonik’s biotechnology capabilities and strengthen its contract manufacturing services for the company’s drug substance business. The project is expected to be completed in early 2028.

The investment will add state-of-the-art downstream fermentation technology to the site, increasing capacity for the development and manufacture of complex pharmaceutical intermediates. Creating approximately 50 new jobs, the expansion will further reinforce the Fermas site as one of Evonik’s key biotechnology hubs.

Sustainable manufacturing of complex molecules

“Today is an important step in our strategy to expand our biotechnology platform and support our customers with innovative, scalable and sustainable manufacturing solutions,” said Lauren Kjeldsen, member of the Management Board and Chief Operating Officer at Custom Solutions, Evonik. “Biotechnology demonstrates how economic growth and sustainability can go hand in hand.”

Biotechnology is playing an increasingly important role in pharmaceutical manufacturing, enabling the production of complex molecules through advanced fermentation processes. Compared with conventional chemical synthesis, fermentation-based processes can offer a more sustainable route to selected intermediates by reducing the need for organic solvents and minimizing process-related waste. The Fermas site already operates on 100 percent green electricity, and uses renewable and certified raw materials in selected production processes.

“This investment demonstrates the company’s confidence in biotechnology and in Slovakia as a location where innovation turns into industrial scale products,” said Miroslav Havlik, General Manager of Evonik Fermas.

Second major investment in recent years

The expansion builds on more than three decades of fermentation expertise at Evonik Fermas. Founded in 1992, the site has evolved from amino acid production into a strategic biotechnology manufacturing hub serving the pharmaceutical, personal care, nutrition, and specialty chemical industries. In recent years, the site has also become a key location for Evonik's biotechnology activities, including the successful launch of the world's first industrial-scale rhamnolipid biosurfactant production facility. The site also maintains close relationships with local universities, helping to secure a strong pipeline of qualified engineers and supporting an agile innovation ecosystem.

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