Following Galderma-Spirig’s decision to close their Egerkingen site in September 2017, Omya International, based in neighboring Oftringen, will move research and development activities to the site. To this end, Omya is acquiring the property from Galderma-Spirig’s parent company, Nestlé Skin Health.
In addition to acquiring the property, including all buildings and facilities, Omya intends to acquire Spirig Pharma’s Cosmospheres business unit, which develops and manufactures high-quality cellulose-based additives for the cosmetics industry. Omya will offer continued employment to the employees in this business area. In addition, the continued employment of facility management and maintenance staff is reviewed.
Growth in Oftringen and Egerkingen In recent years, Omya headquarters in Oftringen have grown strongly and have reached their capacity. With the relocation of research and development activities to neighboring Egerkingen, the bottleneck at the headquarters will be eliminated long-term without further construction and space will be made available for the company’s strongly growing activities.
The buildings in Egerkingen have a modern technical infrastructure, which are suitable for research and development activities without substantial structural interventions. The Cosmospheres business unit, which Omya intends to acquire, would complement and expand Omya’s offering, as Omya already is a supplier of raw materials for the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. In the end, up to 350 full-time jobs will be located at the new site.
Omya
Omya is a leading global producer of industrial minerals – mainly fillers and pigments derived from calcium carbonate and dolomite – and a worldwide distributor of specialty chemicals. The company provides a wealth of product solutions that contribute to its customers’ competitiveness and productivity in multiple industries such as Construction, Printing & Writing, Technical Polymers, Packaging, Food, Personal & Home Care, Pharmaceuticals, Agriculture and Forestry, Water and Energy.
Founded in 1884 in Switzerland, Omya has a global presence extending to more than 175 locations in over 50 countries with 8,000 employees. Committed to implementing the principles of sustainability at all company levels, Omya provides added value products and services from responsibly sourced materials to meet the essential needs of current and future generations. www.omya.com
