Novo to expand world's biggest insulin production site

The world's largest insulin production plant is to expand as Novo Nordisk announced work has begun to add a further 500 square metres to its facility in Kalundborg, Denmark.

Novo is to invest a further 400 million Danish kroner (£45 million) in the building, which was established in 1969.

The factory covers 1.1 million square metres, employs 3,400 people and produces half of the world's insulin as well as other biopharmaceutical products.

Groundbreaking for the extension began yesterday and the extension is expected to be completed at the end of 2018.

Senior vice president and head of production at Kalundborg, Michael Hallgren, said: "The expansion of our production plant highlights our ambition to continue strengthening our presence in Kalundborg.”

“The new facilities will give us greater flexibility and enable the installation of equipment that will enhance efficiency and increase the long-term production capacity of the plant.”

Novo said it expects to hire a further 700 new people to work at the site before 2022.

Last year Novo began expanding its haemophilia treatment manufacturing facility at Kalundborg.

Expected to become fully operational in 2020, the 7,500 square metre facility will produce the active ingredient in NovoSeven (recombinant human coagulation factor VIIa).