The BioPharmaPark Dessau becomes a Center of Excellence in Saxony-Anhalt
As part of the careers day at the location, Stefanie Pötzsch, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Tourism, Agriculture and Forestry in Saxony-Anhalt, and Dr. Robert Franke, Managing Director of the Investment and Marketing Corporation Saxony-Anhalt (IMG), awarded the status of Center of Excellence Saxony-Anhalt to the BioPharmaPark Dessau. Industry and research have very close links at the location. Alongside the production and packaging of pharmaceuticals and the development of innovative vaccine technologies, plus quality control and compliance, intensive research is carried out at the site and new products are created.
State Secretary Stefanie Pötzsch said: “The BioPharmaPark Dessau is one of the most important locations for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries in Saxony-Anhalt and in Germany as a whole. It is characterized in particular by the very close cooperation between businesses and research institutions. The site, with its central position in Germany and its history dating back more than 100 years, still has plenty of space for new businesses, further developments and new synergies. Together these factors make it a Center of Excellence that really deserves the award.”
The Centers of Excellence in Saxony-Anhalt are chosen and marketed by IMG with the support of the Minister for Economic Affairs. They are the perfect example of how innovation and investment can contribute to further growth. In 2022, IMG also launched a campaign with the slogan “HERE your career will take off” to help the Centers of Excellence find and recruit skilled staff. Dr. Robert Franke, Managing Director of IMG, explained: “The BioPharmaPark Dessau is one of the most important locations for the industry in the region and genuinely deserves the status of Center of Excellence. Our location marketing activities help to attract potential investors and also skilled staff from outside the region to the BioPharmaPark Dessau.
The companies at the BioPharmaPark Dessau benefit from an excellent production infrastructure in an established environment. This has made the ultra-modern site into a global center for pharmaceutical technology and biotech.” According to Frank Föhrigen, Managing Director of TEW Technik-Energie-Wasser Servicegesellschaft and manager of the park: “The infrastructure forms the foundation for the BioPharmaPark. With our state-of-the-art infrastructure, we provide the ideal setting for research, development and production in the field of biopharmaceuticals. We are constantly investing in expanding and modernizing our facilities to meet the changing requirements of our partners. Our infrastructure is the key to the success and the innovative ability of the BioPharmaPark.”
The careers day at the BioPharmaPark was the ideal opportunity for the presentation of the award. A variety of companies and organizations, including the Investment and Marketing Corporation Saxony-Anhalt, Ceva, Oncotec, Merz, Octapharma, IDT Biologika, TEW Technik-Energie-Wasser-Servicegesellschaft, the German Federal Employment Agency and the city of Dessau-Roßlau, provided information for apprentices, students, skilled employees and career changers and offered tours of the different specialist areas with the aim of recruiting new staff from the region.
Björn Niemczak, Site Manager at Merz Pharma GmbH, explained: “The biggest motivating factor is also one of the main challenges in our region: creating long-term, attractive, future-proof jobs for all the generations of the workforce. At Merz in the BioPharmaPark Dessau, we are committed to this. I was born in Wittenberg and I have been highly impressed by the positive developments in the Dessau-Roßlau region and by the BioPharmaPark as a Center of Excellence in Saxony-Anhalt with its outstanding pharmaceutical expertise.”
Dr. Jürgen Betzing, Managing Director of IDT Biologika GmbH, said: “We are proud of the fact that the BioPharmaPark is a Center of Excellence. This is the ideal environment for employees to grow and develop their skills. We support our employees throughout their lives so that they can find the best possible balance between work, leisure and their families. We very much appreciate the efforts being made by Saxony-Anhalt to attract skilled staff to the region. We can only offer our customers a high-quality service and shape the future of Saxony-Anhalt as a pharmaceutical location if we have qualified staff who are passionate about their projects and their jobs.”
Dr. Thekla Kurz, Managing Director of Ceva Innovation Center GmbH, added: “Ceva Innovation Center GmbH is one of 14 centers belonging to Ceva Santé Animale that carry out research into animal vaccines. In our own complex and modern research facility, bacterial and viral pathogens are cultivated and undergo molecular biological characterization. In addition, we develop test methods and identify effective manufacturing processes. Together with our team of dedicated employees, we create innovative health solutions for all kinds of animals and contribute to the future and the biodiversity of our planet.”
Ivonne Schiebel, Managing Director of Oncotec GmbH, concluded by saying: “At a Center of Excellence, we at Oncotec do not think about what we have achieved but about what will happen tomorrow. Providing people with a reliable supply of life-saving medicines from a location in Germany is very important to us. This is why we are continuing to invest and to set up new production processes for biopharmaceutical drugs and innovative antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) at the site. This means that in the future Oncotec will be able to supply patients suffering from cancer and autoimmune conditions with important medications produced at the BioPharmaPark Dessau.”
Background:
Minister of Economic Affairs Sven Schulze is the patron of the Centers of Excellence in the region, where there are strong links between industry, science and research. Alongside the BioPharmaPark Dessau, the other Centers of Excellence are the DOW ValuePark®, the Weinberg Campus Technology Park in Halle, the Ostfalen Technology Park, the IGPA in Arneburg, the Research Campus STIMULATE in Magdeburg, the Bitterfeld-Wolfen Chemical Park, the Green Gate Gatersleben, the Chemical Park Leuna, the Agro-Chemical Park Lutherstadt Wittenberg, the MMZ Middle German Multimedia Center in Halle (Saale), Magdeburg Port of Science and the Chemical and Industry Park Zeitz. To enhance the already dynamic economy of the region and attract skilled workers, the initiative is being continued and more Centers of Excellence will be identified – giving the clear message: “Saxony-Anhalt, a region of excellence, welcomes talented employees and new investors!”
Facts and figures:
- 136 hectares in total, 25 hectares available immediately
- 540 million euros invested (since 2011)
- 2,200 jobs
- 8 start-ups
- 56 kilometers from Leipzig/Halle airport
More information about the BioPharmaPark Dessau