NOV / DEC 2026
Lonza to buy Merck KGaA’ s US CDMO network
Lonza has signed a definitive agreement to acquire five CDMO manufacturing sites in the US from Merck KGaA, bringing its total there to nine. It will add some 1,100 people to the US payroll, bringing the total to about 6,000. The deal is expected to close in mid-2027.
The transaction was valued“ at a total enterprise valuation in the low- to mid-triple-digit millions Swiss francs”. The sites are expected to contribute around CHF 250 million in sales in 2028. Their core EBITDA is lower than Lonza’ s but the impact will be insignificant, the company said.
The move was driven by Lonza’ s wish to be closer to US customers in key growth sectors centred on complex modalities, in which it had already made significant investments( see page 18). The sites and their capabilities are:
• St. Louis, Missouri: Bioconjugates
• Madison & Verona, Wisconsin: High-potency payload-linkers
• Carlsbad, California: End-to-end viral vector services, including aseptic fill-finish
• Indianapolis, Indiana: Lipid nanoparticle, liposome and PEGylated protein services, including aseptic fill-finish
“ This acquisition is a strong fit with our One Lonza Strategy and reflects our disciplined approach to capital allocation,” said Wolfgang Wienand, CEO of Lonza.
Merck, meanwhile, said the transaction advances its strategic agenda by focusing its portfolio on innovation-driven businesses with strong value-creation potential.
Merck will continue to sell its portfolio of consumables, technologies and services for biopharmaceutical development and manufacturing in the US. Its BioReliance contract testing services are not part of the transaction.
IN BRIEF
China semiconductor investment BASF has signed an investment agreement to establish a new electronic materials production site in the Nanjing Jiangbei New Area Materials High-Tech Park in China. It should start up by the end of 2028. The company said that this will enhance its position in semiconductors in China and“ provide a platform for closer collaboration with customers and partners across the semiconductor value chain”.
Biobased solvent deal Monument Chemical plans to expand capacity for tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol( THFA) and 2-methyltetrahydrofuran( 2-MeTHF), two biobased solvents used in pharmaceutical, agrochemical and speciality applications. This is part of an agreement with Minasolve, which is ceasing US production. The two will work with customers to understand individual requirements and support a smooth transition.
Solenis moves pulp centre Solenis has relocated its Pulp Centre of Excellence from the US to a new facility in Paulínia, Brazil. The new, 500 m 3 centre supports full-process coverage from wood handling to cooking, brownstock washing, bleaching, recausticising and refining. Current development areas include a talc-free pitch control platform, pitch-monitoring equipment and a first-of-kind additive designed to improve cooking yield.
NOV / DEC 2026 SPECCHEMONLINE. COM
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