Merck has announced plans to build a new, € 18 million laboratory facility in Buchs, Switzerland to support the company’s rapidly growing reference materials business.
The company anticipates that about two dozen jobs will be created. “Researchers in testing labs around the world use Merck’s reference materials every day to help generate accurate, reliable analytical results in pharmaceutical, environmental and food and beverage analysis,” said Jean-Charles Wirth, head of Applied Solutions, Life Science at Merck. “This new laboratory will allow us to continue to drive innovation in diagnostics and testing and expand our research and development of analytical standards.” Completion of the three-story, 1,125-square-meter Buchs building is scheduled for December 2021 and the move is planned for early 2022. The modern, flexible workplace design, to include laboratory and office space, is aimed at fostering a collaborative environment for its 40 employees, some of whom will move from the existing, heavily utilized building. The new facility will offer a more efficient way of working for current and future employees in research and development, analytical production and quality control.
The laboratory area can be adapted to new requirements in the future, including increased site capacity. Founded in 1950, the Buchs location is one of the Life Science business’ most important research and development centers. Today, around 450 people are employed at the site. Here, certified reference materials, analytical standards and reagents, building blocks and bioanalytical reagents are produced for Merck’s global academia, industrial research and quality control laboratory customers. The site also develops and manufactures raw materials for pharmaceutical manufacturing under Good Manufacturing Practices, as well as active pharmaceutical ingredients. The location serves as a main down-filling hub for the Life Science business of Merck.
