DENMARK – Chr. Hansen has entered into a cooperation agreement with PensionDanmark on a significant expansion of its main office campus and research & development facilities in Hoersholm north of Copenhagen.
PensionDanmark is one of the 50 largest pension funds in Europe with currently €31.5 billion (US$ 34.76bn) under management and serving 734,000 members.
With the agreement, seeks to expand and strengthen its research & development facilities to meet the increasing demand for natural and sustainable products.
The project includes the establishment of a modern innovation campus with laboratories for an additional 250 scientists.
The companies aim at creating “future-proof facilities” for research & development to consolidate Chr. Hansen’s position in the global ingredients and microbial solutions market.
In addition to the labs, a major new application center will be established where customers can test and tailor-make products new as well as develop new products in a realistic production environment.
The company said that the project focuses on making Chr. Hansen’s campus a “modern and future-proof center for innovation, knowledge sharing and customer support, and an inspiring and efficient workplace for the employees.”
Chr. Hansen’s CFO Soeren Westh Lonning said that the investment will ensure room for growth and innovation as the company gears to embrace and accommodate changes in the global market.
“A modern, flexible workplace with state-of-the-art labs in inspiring surroundings will help attract the talents we need to stay at the forefront and proceed on the sustainability journey.
“Moreover, it will contribute to strengthening our long-term position as a leading bioscience company,” he notes.
The first ground will be broken next year, and the new buildings are expected to be finished late 2022.
Chr. Hansen and Lonza’s newly branded joint venture, Bacthera, has received anti-trust approvals to start contract manufacturing of live biotherapeutic products.
The joint venture will operate under the name Bacthera from its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland. Bacthera will upgrade existing facilities in Hørsholm, Denmark.
Overall, :90 million will be invested, shared equally between Chr. Hansen and Lonza, over a period of three years and Bacthera is expected to be largely self‐funding.
