- Evonik is investing around EUR 80 million to expand biotechnology capabilities at its Fermas site in Slovenská Ľupča, Slovakia.
- The expansion will introduce downstream fermentation technology and create approximately 50 new jobs.
Evonik is investing approximately EUR 80 million to expand its biotechnology capabilities at its Fermas site in Slovenská Ľupča, Slovakia. The investment will introduce downstream fermentation technology to support the company’s contract manufacturing services within its drug substance business. The project is also expected to create around 50 new jobs.
The expansion is aimed at addressing rising demand for complex pharmaceutical ingredients. According to Guido Skudlarek, head of the Health Care business line, “With demand for complex pharmaceutical ingredients continuing to rise, our enhanced biotechnology capabilities will enable us to support customers with reliable, scalable, and sustainable production.” The added capabilities are designed to strengthen Evonik’s offering as a CDMO, particularly in fermentation-based processes.
This development marks the second major financial commitment at the Fermas site in recent years, following the construction of a rhamnolipids plant initiated in 2022. The Slovenská Ľupča site has continued to build its capabilities in biofermentation scale-up and downstream processing, positioning itself as a central hub for biotechnological production within the company.
Evonik stated that biotechnological processes such as fermentation enable the development of products with improved sustainability profiles compared to conventional alternatives. These processes support the company’s broader sustainability ambitions while enabling contract manufacturing solutions for pharmaceutical and other industries.
Founded in 1992 as a joint venture between Degussa AG and Biotika a.s., the Fermas site became a wholly owned subsidiary of Evonik in 1998. It has since expanded from amino acid production into fermentation-based manufacturing for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, personal care, and animal nutrition. In 2024, Evonik reported producing industrial-scale rhamnolipid biosurfactants, further advancing its biotechnology portfolio.
