South Korea's Samsung Biologics is prepping to break ground on a 2.5 million square foot plant, bigger than the CMO's three existing plants combined, to meet surging demands spurred by COVID-19.
The contract manufacturer plans to start the $2 billion project — its fourth biologics manufacturing plant — before the end 2020.
The construction of the fourth manufacturing plant in Incheon, announced in mid-August, is part of Samsung's long-term strategy to maximize operational efficiency and scale up its development and manufacturing capabilities as demand for biomanufacturing grows. Originally planned to be much smaller, Samsung CEO Kim Tae-han pushed for a more dramatic expansion after seeing how the pandemic left drug developers and national governments alike scrambling to find new manufacturing sources.
The 'super plant' will introduce real-time production schedule simulation through automation and latest biomanufacturing technologies as well as optimization of utility supply based on data collected from its current plants. It is scheduled to be operational in the second half of 2022.
