GEA Group AG (Düsseldorf, Germany) is investing €70 million in the construction of a new pharmaceutical technology center for freeze dryers in Elsdorf in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Spread across some 40,000 m², the new facility, which is scheduled for completion by 2024, will stimulate better innovation opportunities and further growth in the attractive freeze-drying pharmaceuticals market. This process is essential to manufacturing a wide variety of injectable pharmaceutical products, such as vaccines. GEA is a longstanding leader in the global freeze-drying market.
GEA’s second Factory of the Future is being built in Elsdorf at a more than 40,000 m² site (Source: GEA)
“With our Mission 26 strategy, we aim to spur our profitable growth by offering sustainable solutions for the food and pharmaceutical industries,” says CEO Stefan Klebert. “Given how the new pharmaceutical technology center will leverage GEA’s full potential in the growing pharmaceutical sector, this investment dovetails perfectly with Mission 26.”
Since the current plant in Hürth, North Rhine-Westphalia, has reached its capacity limit, all areas, from development through design and production to assembly and services will relocate to the new site. Construction will get underway in 2023. All of the approximately 250 employees will relocate to the new nearby plant.
“By building in Elsdorf, the GEA Group has sent a strong signal that it is a good place to do business. We are very pleased about this decision and hope that it will lead to further commercial land designations and commercial settlements. My thanks in particular go to the representatives of GEA, who have chosen Elsdorf, as well as to the urban development company and our business development department, who have jointly implemented the process,” emphasizes Mayor Andreas Heller.
Following the construction of the first newly designed site in Koszalin (Poland), which started production this year, the second “GEA Factory of the Future” is being built in Elsdorf. The concept is based on modular and digital production structures that ensure maximum flexibility while maintaining productivity, thus making a significant contribution to the growth strategy in the pharmaceutical sector.
Construction work on the new site will adhere to the highest sustainability standards (e.g. dedicated power generation, carbon neutrality) and implement innovative new digital solutions at every link in the value chain.
“Our Factory of the Future concept is instrumental to driving corporate growth and securing long-term competitiveness,” says COO Johannes Giloth. “Elsdorf will set new benchmarks for optimizing our global production network and its performance.”