Lonza invests in the USA: new pharmaceutical plant in Oregon (cross-border guide)

Context

In brief

• Lonza will build a new facility in Bend, Oregon
• Completion of the structure is expected by 2029
• Initial creation of over 80 new jobs
• Investment defined as significant by the pharmaceutical group

Key facts

• What: Construction of a new commercial manufacturing plant
• When: Completion expected by 2029
• Where: Bend, Oregon, United States
• Who: Lonza
• Amount: Amount not yet specified

The Swiss pharmaceutical industry is further strengthening its presence and investments in the United States. The Lonza group has officially announced the construction of a new facility in Bend, in the state of Oregon. The facility will be dedicated to the commercial production of spray-dried active ingredient dispersions. According to what was communicated by the Swiss pharmaceutical company, the completion of the work is expected during the year 2029. The financial operation has been defined by company management as a significant investment, although the exact monetary amount was not disclosed in the official press release issued by the company.

Pharmaceutical technology details

The industrial project focuses on advanced technology capable of significantly improving the solubility and, consequently, the bioavailability of active ingredients that are poorly soluble. From the perspective of the global pharmaceutical market, demand for these particular manufacturing processes is experiencing steady growth, driven by the increasing complexity in the development of modern medicines. The new facility in Oregon will allow Lonza to respond promptly to this growing demand, consolidating its technological positioning in the advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing sector on an international scale.

Operational details

Employment impact and supply chains

The launch of this major industrial project in the United States will initially lead to the creation of over eighty new highly skilled jobs in the Bend region. The strategic decision to expand production capacity overseas responds to precise logics of operational proximity to important customers and strengthening the resilience of regional supply chains. Bringing production closer to the main outlet markets allows the company to reduce the risks related to international logistics and optimise delivery times for the local pharmaceutical industry.

Corporate Strategy and Leadership

Managing Director Wolfgang Wienand underlined the strategic importance of the transaction for the future of the Swiss group. The investment in the Bend headquarters reflects the firm belief that the United States will remain a leading source of pharmaceutical innovation and a key market for Lonza. This move fits perfectly into the company strategy called One Lonza, which aims to concentrate investments where it is possible to generate maximum economic value for customers and, ultimately, for patients. The German manager, fifty-four years old and with a past as a leading fencer, has been leading the Rhenish company since July 2024.

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Key points

Profile and history of the Lonza group

Founded in 1897, Lonza has a long industrial history rooted in Switzerland. The company was originally born in Gampel, in the Valais Canton, on the banks of the river Lonza, which represents a tributary of the Rhone. During the twentieth century, precisely in 1909, the headquarters were moved to Visp, also in the Valais Canton. Subsequently, in 1974, the company became part of Alusuisse's orbit, and then left it in 1999 and obtained an official listing on the stock exchange. In 2002 the group's main operational centre was moved to Basel.

Position in the Swiss financial markets

Today Lonza is one of the most important industrial companies in the Confederation, with a global workforce of twenty thousand employees. During the 2025 financial year, the company recorded a total turnover of 6.5 billion Swiss francs. Thanks to these economic data and its solidity, the company is part of the SMI, the stock index that groups the twenty main securities of the Swiss financial market. To learn more about the management of corporate finances, taxation and investments in Switzerland, see calcolatore stipendio e imposte.

Source: swissinfo.ch