Page 163 - CW E-Magazine (15-10-2024)

News from Abroad News from Abroad

INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE EXPANSION
SK Pharmteco plans new small molecule and peptide Evonik raising precipitated silica capacity by 50%

facility in Korea at US site

SK Pharmteco, a South Korean con- mercial production with great fl exibi- German chemicals fi rm, Evonik, has
tract development and manufacturing lity, the company said. broken ground on a signifi cant expansion
organisation (CDMO), has announced at its Charleston site in South Carolina’s
a major expansion of its small molecule The investment also includes build- Berkeley County in US. It will boost
and peptide production capabilities ing the shell for a sixth manufacturing Evonik’s production capacity for precipi-
with a $260-mn investment to construct plant, which will allow the company to tated silica by 50%, catering to increasing
a new facility in Sejong, South Korea. quickly expand capacity in the future. demand from the tyre industry, particularly
for green tyres in the US.
Scheduled to begin operations in The company said the move will help
late 2026, the new facility will be the meet growing demand for high-quality “North America is a crucial growth
fi fth plant the company opens in South peptides and small molecules, essential region for us,” said Mr. Guido Skudlarek,
Korea. Spanning 135,800 square feet, components of many innovative thera- Evonik’s President North America. “With
it will feature eight production trains pies. However, the global supply chain this expansion, our Charleston site will
with an output of “tens of metric tons” labs, and cGMP pilot plant for peptide for these therapies faces challenges, in- become a key hub for sustainable silica
annually. This investment also includes manufacturing. These resources can cluding limited manufacturing capacity products in North America,” added
peptide R&D facilities, cGMP kilo support early-stage clinical and com- and complex regulatory requirements. Ms. Lauren Kjeldsen, Head of the Smart
Materials Division, which includes the
GROWING PRESENCE silica business. industry and introduce circular raw materials driven by the need for improved fuel
to manufacture its Ultrasil branded silica, effi ciency and reduced rolling resistance.
Lonza acquires biologics site in US from Roche Evonik has received investment incen- aligning with the sustainability goals of the Evonik has consistently invested in moder-
tives from the South Carolina Department tyre sector. Silica is essential for producing nising its silica production and making
Swiss contract development and manu- in the Lonza network. The site joins the Lonza plans to invest CHF 500-mn of Commerce and Berkeley County Eco- fuel-effi cient tyres, which can reduce fuel strategic acquisitions globally to strengthen
facturing organisation (CDMO), Lonza, Mammalian business unit within Lonza’s to further upgrade the facility for next nomic Development for the expansion. consumption by up to 8% compared to its business. The Charleston facilities are
has announced the completion of its Biologics division, with more than 750 generation mammalian biologics. The company said the expansion will conventional tyres. The demand for such part of a network of 18 precipitated silica
acquisition of the Genentech large-scale Vacaville personnel now being employed enhance local supply chains for the tyre tyres in North America is growing rapidly, production sites worldwide.
biologics manufacturing site in Vacaville, directly by Lonza. The products previously manufac- INORGANIC GROWTH
California (US) from Roche for $1.2-bn. tured at the site will now be supplied by
The acquisition complements Lonza’s Lonza to Roche with committed mini- IPS Adhesives announces acquisition to boost MMA
The Vacaville facility signifi cantly ongoing investments in large-scale mum volumes over the medium term,
extends Lonza’s capacity for mammalian bioconjugation in Visp (Switzerland) phasing out over time as the site transi- adhesives portfolio
manufacturing in the US. It creates a signi- and drug product in Stein (Switzerland). tions to serve alternative customers.
fi cant West Coast commercial manufac- IPS Adhesives (IPSA), a US-based high-strength, versatile, and in demand for surface energy adhesive. The combination
turing presence close to San Francisco’s OCI Global closes sale of US clean ammonia manufacturer of structural and surfacing transportation, construction, automotive, of our technical expertise with L&L’s current
pharma and biotech hub, complementing project to Woodside products, has acquired a range of adhesives marine, and other industrial applications MMA portfolio and pipeline products
Lonza’s existing East Coast manufactu- based on acrylate and methyl methacrylate that have critical technical specifi cations further enhances our ability to solve prob-
ring site in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Dutch chemicals fi rm, OCI Global, struction, commissioning, and startup of (MMA) technology from L&L Products. and benefi t from more versatile alterna- lems and innovate for customers,” said
as well as its international network across has announced the successful closing the facility through project completion and IPSA said the acquisition complements its tives to mechanical fasteners, welding, IPSA President, Mr. Scott McDowell.
Europe and Asia Pacifi c. With a total bio- of the divestment of its clean ammonia is targeting production of fi rst ammonia MMA-based product offering and enhan- and other traditional bonding solutions.
reactor capacity of around 330-kl, the project in Beaumont, Texas (USA) to from 2025 and lower carbon ammonia ces its ability to deliver innovative solu- “This acquisition accelerates our ability to The deal is expected to allow L&L
Vacaville site is one of the largest biolo- Woodside Energy Group Ltd., signed on from 2026. The all-cash consideration of tions that facilitate lightweighting and the create and deliver even more high-perfor- to focus on the development and com-
gics manufacturing facilities in the world, 5 August 2024, following the satisfac- approximately $2.35-bn is inclusive of bonding of dissimilar materials. mance solutions to our customers across mercialisation of adhesives, sealants,
and signifi cantly extends manufacturing tion of customary closing conditions and capital expenditure through completion Europe and North America. We are pas- reinforcements, and acoustic technologies
capacity for late-stage clinical and com- receipt of OCI shareholder approval. of the fi rst phase, with $1.88-bn paid MMA-based adhesives cure quickly at sionate about enabling customers to bond for the automotive and transportation
mercial products, and new molecules and the remaining $470-mn to be paid at room temperature, enabling rapid bonding in new ways, as demonstrated by our markets, as well as diversifying business
on the path to commercialisation with- OCI will continue to manage the con- project completion. and reducing production times. They are recent launch of a groundbreaking low- to enter new markets.

162 Chemical Weekly October 15, 2024 Chemical Weekly October 15, 2024 163

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