Evonik is investing around EUR 80 million to expand its biotechnology capabilities at its Fermas site in Slovenská Ľupča, Slovakia. The investment will add state-of-the-art downstream fermentation technology to support the contract manufacturing services of the group’s drug substance business. The expansion will create approximately 50 new jobs at the site.

“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,” said Guido Skudlarek, head of the Health Care business line.

This investment is the second major financial commitment at Fermas in recent years, following the construction of Evonik’s pioneering rhamnolipids plant, initiated in 2022. Industrial biotechnology at Slovenská Ľupča has become one of Evonik’s core strengths, offering excellent career opportunities for biotechnologists, laboratory technicians, engineers, and other specialists. The site continues to expand its capacity for biofermentation scale-up and downstream processing, reinforcing its position as a hub for advanced biotechnological production.

Biotechnological processes such as fermentation enable the development of Next Generation Solutions – products and solutions that deliver superior sustainability benefits compared to conventional alternatives, further supporting Evonik’s sustainability ambitions.

“I am proud that our Slovenská Ľupča site is helping the world’s leading life science companies address some of today’s most pressing challenges,” said Miroslav Havlik, general manager of Evonik Fermas. “Our investment not only supports a more sustainable future for global health and care but also strengthens our region.”

Evonik Fermas, located in Slovenská Ľupča, Slovakia, was founded in 1992 as a joint venture between Degussa AG and Biotika a.s. Originally focused on amino acid production for animal nutrition, the company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Evonik in 1998 and has since expanded into the manufacturing of fermentation-based products for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, personal care, and animal nutrition. In 2024, Evonik became the first company worldwide to produce industrial-scale rhamnolipid biosurfactants, marking a milestone in sustainable specialty chemicals. Today, the Fermas site is recognized as one of Evonik’s leading biotechnology centers.