“Barcelona offers an ideal location for our expansion, combining access to scientific talent with a strategic European position”
Thierry Bernard, CEO of QIAGEN
German biotech QIAGEN invests €13 million in a new global innovation center in Barcelona
29 Nov 2024
QIAGEN will expand its facilities in Barcelona and create 400+ high-value jobs. For this project, the company has received support from Catalonia Trade & Investment.
The biotechnology multinational QIAGEN announced a €13 million investment over the next five years to expand its facilities in Barcelona ( Esplugues de Llobregat). The company will establish a new global innovation center, set to open in early 2026, dedicated to advancing molecular diagnostics for infectious diseases. In this center, they will have space to allocate more than 400 jobs of high-added value in the long term.
QIAGEN is receiving support from Catalonia Trade & Investment, which helps companies set up in Catalonia and provides guidance during their subsequent operations in the region.
The new facility will span 8,000 square meters and include manufacturing lines, clean rooms, laboratories, offices, and logistics areas. The company will house specialized teams in areas such as research and development, manufacturing, quality and regulatory affairs, and sales, among others.
Currently, QIAGEN employs approximately 230 people in Barcelona, a figure set to rise by 13% over the next two years and by a further 17% in the three years thereafter. In total, the new center will accommodate more than 400 professionals specializing in R&D, manufacturing, and supply chain management. The facility will produce up to 700,000 diagnostic tests annually.
"Barcelona offers an ideal location for our expansion, combining access to scientific talent with a strategic European position," stated Thierry Bernard, CEO of QIAGEN. "This new hub will enable QIAGEN to advance the development of innovative solutions for diagnosing infectious diseases on a global scale while contributing significant economic value and scientific prestige to the Catalonia region," he emphasized.
QIAGEN is a global company and a leading player in biotechnology, specializing in molecular diagnostics technologies, applied testing, academic research, and pharmaceuticals. It provides solutions that enable laboratories to uncover molecular insights faster and more efficiently, particularly in the detection and diagnosis of infectious diseases, cancer, and latent tuberculosis, among others.
The hub, which will cover the entire value chain of the multinational's activities, will also serve as a center of excellence for R&D in microfluidics, as well as for the development of systems and assays. The building has achieved LEED Platinum certification, the highest standard for energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable building design. The adaptation of the new facility will meet this rigorous standard and will be equipped with digitized production lines.
Founded in Germany in 1984, QIAGEN’s relationship with Barcelona and Catalonia began in 2018 when it acquired Stat Diagnostica (Stat-Dx), a technology company, for €154 million. The firm, established by Catalan researchers at the Barcelona Science Park, had developed a diagnostic test capable of processing various types of samples without prior preparation. Since then, the local facilities and workforce have grown steadily, reaching 230 employees today.
Globally, QIAGEN generates nearly $2 billion in annual sales, is listed on stock exchanges such as the NYSE in the United States and the DAX in Germany, and employs approximately 6,000 people worldwide. The multinational aims to generate over $200 million annually by 2028 from solutions developed at its new facilities in Esplugues de Llobregat.
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