Johnson & Johnson intends to establish its European distribution center for pharmaceuticals in La Louviere, Belgium, Invest in Wallonia
Release Date: 2010-05-25
The new logistics center will, together with three satellite centers, centralize the activities of the current 15 centers. It will reduce the number of steps in the chain, with medicines going directly from the factory to the European distribution center, from which they will go directly to the customer. The new set-up will lead to a convergence of process, metrics and organization.Once operational, it is expected that the center will employ 100 to 135 people.
The center will have a total operational surface of 25,000m², with the possibility to build extensions, and will be constructed on a site of 70,000 m². It will handle shipments to customers in 11 European countries as well as shipments to J&J affiliates in the rest of the world.
In 2004, Johnson & Johnson already established its European distribution center for its Medical Devices & Diagnostics Division in Courcelles, also near Charleroi. Both units will operate as one single logistic center, under one management. in Beerse, Olen or Geel.
In order to locate the ideal site for its new pharmaceutical distribution center, the company made an initial analysis of the best placed regions for Europe-wide distribution, based solely on qualitative criteria of central location, good infrastructure, accessibility, logistic possibilities and smooth traffic flow. Other, secondary factors included the cost elements, such as labor, real estate, transport, and government incentives. The proximity of the logistics center of Medical Devices & Diagnostics, together with the good working relationship with the Walloon authorities and the possibility of a grant, tipped the selection in favor of La Louvière.
Combining the entities of Janssen Pharmaceutica, Janssen-Cilag, Tibotec, Virco, Centocor, Ortho Biotech, and many more, the pharmaceutical division of Johnson & Johnson has more than 11,000 employees in the EMEA region, with 8 manufacturing plants, and 6 research centers.
The company is specialized in the areas of Neuroscience (schizophrenia, dementia, epilepsy, …), Infectious Diseases (HIV/Aids, hepatitis C, …), immunology (psoriasis, arthritis, …), Oncology and Metabolism (diabetes, …).
| Type: | NORMAL |
| Company: | Invest in Wallonia |
| Country: | Belgium |