Merck Expands Life Science Distribution Center in Germany with $196 Mn Investment

The expanded facility now includes a new manual down-filling operation, increasing the efficiency of product distribution.

Merck, a global leader in science and technology, has expanded its Life Science distribution center in Schnelldorf, Germany.

The €180 million ($196 million) investment has nearly doubled the center's size, adding 25,000 square meters and enhancing its capabilities to better serve laboratories and research facilities worldwide.

With this expansion, Merck aims to improve global access to critical drugs and advance public health.

The expanded facility now includes a new manual down-filling operation, increasing the efficiency of product distribution.

Merck's investment aims to bolster the availability and delivery speed of life science products, which is crucial for timely access to medicines.

Matthias Heinzel, member of the executive board of Merck and CEO of the Life Science division, emphasized the importance of this enhancement, stating, "By combining manual down-filling capabilities with our distribution expertise, our customers will benefit from increased product availability and quicker delivery. This is critical to ensuring that medicines reach patients faster, safely, and more efficiently."

A Flagship Site for Integrated Services

The Schnelldorf site is now one of Merck's flagship facilities, offering unique end-to-end capabilities for its Life Science customers.

Ivan Donzelot, head of Integrated Supply Chain Operations for Life Science, highlighted the site's significance, noting, "With the full integration of manufacturing and distribution in one location, our customers can now receive even faster and better service, whether they are in Europe or other regions of the world."

The center employs 470 experts in engineering, manufacturing, and distribution, further strengthening its operational capabilities.

Part of a Global Investment Program

The Schnelldorf expansion is part of a broader multi-year investment initiative by Merck's Life Science business sector, which aims to meet the rising global demand for essential medications.

Since 2020, Merck has announced various expansion projects across Europe, China, and the United States, committing over €2 billion to enhance its industrial capacity and capabilities in Life Science.

These investments are crucial for supporting the production and distribution of critical drugs and improving public health outcomes.

Merck's Life Science division operates more than 50 production and testing sites and 64 distribution centers worldwide, employing over 27,000 people across 65 countries.

With this new investment and expansion of the Schnelldorf facility, Merck seeks to leverage its global network to deliver life-saving products more efficiently and effectively.

In another development, in March, Merck completed the acquisition of Harpoon Therapeutics, an immuno-oncology company that is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merck.

In January, Merck announced the $680 million acquisition of cancer drugmaker Harpoon Therapeutics. Now, it has completed the deal. With this move, Merck aims to focus on cancer and explore the potential of immuno-oncology with one of the largest development programs in the industry across more than 30 tumor types.