GETEC takes over the Life Science Park Rheintal from Novartis

The leading energy service provider and industrial park operator GETEC takes over all real estate, infrastructure-related assets, and services of the Life Science Park Rheintal located in Stein (Canton Aargau), Switzerland. GETEC will professionally further develop the park and unused areas. Novartis will remain the largest tenant of the Life Science Park. This significant acquisition underscores the strengthening and expansion of global partnerships and the consolidation of GETEC’s presence across Europe.

(PresseBox: Stein/Magdeburg) The Life Science Park Rheintal, located in the Swiss Canton of Aargau, is a renowned hub for research, development, and innovation in the life sciences and healthcare sectors. With state-of-the-art facilities and outstanding expertise, the park has gained international recognition. The Life Science Park Rheintal will be the second industrial park operated by GETEC in Switzerland, alongside the GETEC PARK.SWISS located in Muttenz (Canton Baselland). The financial details of the transaction have been kept confidential between the parties.

As part of GETEC Group’s internationalization strategy, the acquisition of the Life Science Park represents an important milestone. “The takeover of the park is a significant strategic step for GETEC. We are strengthening our activities in the European market and significantly expanding our capabilities for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Novartis has created a top industrial location in the Life Science Park Rheintal and has established renowned companies alongside important in-house activities. We aim to continue and expand this successful development,” says Pierre-Alain Graf, CEO of GETEC Group.

Comprehensive services for the established companies

The park offers comprehensive services in building management, energy supply, engineering, maintenance, logistics, as well as environmentally friendly wastewater treatment and waste disposal for the established companies. Quality, competitive costs, and sustainability play a crucial role in this. The Life Science Park Rheintal will be developed into a prime location for international companies due to its numerous green energy and infrastructure services. GETEC not only supports the established companies in the pharmaceutical and chemical sectors in reducing their carbon footprint but also assists the canton in achieving its climate goals. GETEC is developing the site into an environmentally conscious competence cluster with a clear commitment to sustainable and economically viable actions.

“The increasing complexity of demanding ESG goals, reliable energy supply, and regulatory requirements, especially in utilities, is one of the most pressing challenges for the industry. We take this on so that our customers can focus on their core business. In the Life Science Park Rheintal, we can implement our entire expertise in energy management, digitization, sustainability, financing, and profitability holistically in one of the most attractive life science regions in the world, thus making a significant contribution to the economic development of the region and our customers,” says Urs Zimmerli, CEO of GETEC Platform Switzerland.

Novartis will continue to manufacture medicines and therapies on the premises of the Life Science Park Rheintal as the largest tenant. As part of the transaction, Novartis plans to fully transfer real estate as well as infrastructure-related assets and services to GETEC by the end of Q4 2023. Approximately 25 employees from Novartis in the services and infrastructure sector are expected to transition to GETEC in connection with the transaction.

Location offers significant expansion potential

The location provides an ideal innovative environment, access to highly qualified employees from the region, and significant expansion potential. A total of nearly 2,000 employees from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are engaged in research, development, and production on the premises. In addition to Novartis, the chemical and pharmaceutical company Lonza and the international biotechnology company Celonic are also based in the park. Currently, about one-third of the area of the Life Science Park Rheintal, founded in 2021, is unused.

Photo: © Novartis / Image caption: Aerial view of the Life Science Park in Stein/AG, Switzerland. In the foreground, Bad Säckingen with the cathedral.