In a first step, Bachem plans investments totaling 750 Swiss francs, creating more than 500 new jobs by 2030, when a first production building for peptides and oligonucleotides will be operational. Peptides and oligonucleotides are increasingly being used as active medical ingredients for treating a wide range of diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

The Sisslerfeld site, which will be Bachem’s third in Switzerland and add to existing locations in Bubendorf and Vionnaz, offers space for further expansion, eventually allowing for the creation of up to 3,000 new jobs.

Bachem said the decision to select Sisslerfeld in northwestern Switzerland was based on the region’s “strong locational conditions” that include a skilled workforce, a network of suppliers, and a high concentration of pharmaceutical and chemical companies.

“The new site will once more significantly increase our production capacity. In addition to the ongoing investments in Bubendorf, it underlines our strong presence in northwestern Switzerland,” said CEO Thomas Meier, “In the region alone, our workforce has almost doubled in the past five years with 1,200 colleagues who work in our team here today.”

Bachem’s expansion at Bubendorf, costing about 550 million Swiss francs, is expected to go online in 2024. The company plans to add about 800 new jobs there in the next three years, taking the site’s total workforce to more than 2,000 employees.

Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist