Finnish pharmaceutical company Orion Pharma has announced a series of investments worth more than USD 112 million across its manufacturing network in Espoo, Turku, Hanko, and Oulu.

The investments cover multiple stages of the pharmaceutical value chain, from the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) to the manufacture of tablets and hormonal gels, as well as quality control. The projects now commencing are scheduled for completion between 2027 and 2030.

Aims: capacity, reliability, and readiness for new medicines

According to the company, the investments are intended to modernise production technology and infrastructure, increase manufacturing capacity, and improve operational reliability and manufacturing flexibility. The projects also support the production of growing export products.

In addition, Orion states it is building readiness for the manufacturing of future small-molecule innovative medicines should its development projects succeed and receive marketing authorisation.

"These extensive investments demonstrate our long-term commitment to pharmaceutical manufacturing in Europe. We are making upgrades to numerous stages of our manufacturing network, from the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients to finished medicines and quality control. This enables us to meet growing demand, improve operational efficiency, and prepare for the manufacture of new pharmaceutical innovations," says Juhani Kankaanpää, Executive Vice President, Global Operations.

"Through these investments, we are ensuring that our production technology and infrastructure continue to develop alongside our products, operations and international demand," Kankaanpää adds.

Turku: quality control, tablets, and hormone gels

At the Turku site, Orion is carrying out three projects that will modernise quality control and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, equipment, and building systems.

The Turku Chemical Quality Control laboratory will be renovated and expanded from approximately 950 square metres to more than 1,600 square metres.

The laboratory analyses, among other things, incoming raw materials and active pharmaceutical ingredients manufactured at the Hanko site, making it a critical part of Orion's manufacturing network and the release of products for production. The laboratory project is scheduled for completion in 2029.

At the Turku tablet manufacturing department, the company will construct a new technical building and modernise production facilities and equipment. The project is intended to improve production reliability and the conditions required for the manufacture of current and potential future medicines.

The facility project is scheduled for completion in 2028, while equipment modernisation will continue until 2030.

In addition, Orion Pharma is investing in Turku to increase production capacity for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products and improve manufacturing flexibility in response to growing demand. The hormonal gels manufactured at the Turku site are used in the treatment of menopause symptoms.

Espoo: new tablet manufacturing technology

In Espoo, where Orion's headquarters are located, the company is investing in new tablet manufacturing technology. The project includes the installation of a new large-scale coating drum and a blender that enables larger production batches than currently possible.

Necessary modifications and extensions will also be made to the production facilities. The upgrade is expected to increase tablet manufacturing capacity and improve production efficiency, with completion scheduled for 2029.

Hanko and Oulu: API capacity expanded at Fermion sites

The remaining investments target the active pharmaceutical ingredient production sites operated by Fermion, Orion's API manufacturing subsidiary, in Hanko and Oulu.
At the Hanko site, previously unused areas of the plant will be renovated and equipped with new production lines.

According to Orion, the new facilities and equipment can be utilised in the future for the manufacture of different active pharmaceutical ingredients. The expanded production facilities are expected to be operational during 2028.

In Oulu, which Orion describes as the world's northernmost API production site, one of the site's production modules is being renovated and expanded. The project includes upgrades to production equipment and automation, as well as improvements in the handling of highly potent compounds and versatile production processes.

Once completed, the modernised production module will provide Fermion with greater flexibility in the manufacture of both Orion's own products and active pharmaceutical ingredients produced for external customers. The project is scheduled for completion in 2027.

Investment window spans 2027 to 2030

Taken together, the four-site programme represents a combined value exceeding USD 112 million and is scheduled for completion between 2027 and 2030, with the earliest finish in Oulu in 2027 and the latest in Turku, where tablet equipment modernisation continues until 2030.

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