Ahead of ACHEMA 2024 – Marc Soennichsen previews key trends in the German Life Sciences sector

As ACHEMA 2024 approaches next month, industry professionals will gather in Frankfurt, Germany, to witness the future of process technology. 

Germany's pharmaceutical market, the largest in Europe and fourth globally, along with its medical devices sector, underscores the immense scale and economic significance of the life sciences industry within the country. The German Life Sciences sector is recognized globally as one of the most dynamic and innovative, bolstered by robust research foundations, a well-established industrial base, and extensive government support.  

Linesight is looking forward to engaging with industry peers at ACHEMA to further explore these current and proposed developments and discuss how it’s expertise can enhance the success of upcoming projects.  

Ahead of this prominent event, renowned for its extensive exhibits and insightful forums, Marc Soennichsen, Director of Life Sciences, presents some insights into the evolving trends within the Life Sciences sector, both in Germany and across Europe.  

Speed to market 

The majority of projects are driven by one of two things, cost or schedule. Knowing how each will influence the successful delivery of a planned project is crucial in the life sciences sector. In an effort to provide the life sciences sector with rapid, accurate data for initiating projects, the Linesight Capital Project Benchmarking program was introduced in 2020. This program represents a worldwide cooperative effort among leading pharmaceutical companies aimed at standardising cost and schedule information across capital projects.. 

One of the key insights to emerge over the last 4 years is that there's increasingly compelling evidence that dedicating more time to the design phase can actually reduce the time required for construction, particularly in the case of refurbishment projects. This has been extracted using participants data which has been anonymised, standardised, analysed, and consolidated by Linesight into a comprehensive database. From this resource, participants have been accessing immediate estimates, timelines, and benchmarking information for their planned projects across a variety of project types. 

Flexibility 

The ability to adapt quickly and efficiently is crucial in the Life Sciences sector, where the complexity of projects demands flexibility in both planning and execution. We are beginning to see more innovative modern methods of construction filter through to the sector, so that facilities can pivot to manufacture something other than what they were originally designed for to react on a quickly changing business environment. A testament to this approach is the J.POD® facility in Toulouse, an example of how adaptable infrastructure can meet rapidly changing production needs.  

Right Value 

While we are seeing commodity material costs normalise, labour costs, and especially skilled labour costs are on the rise. In turn, value engineering is coming under increased scrutiny, as the knock on effects continues to put some projects under pressure. This critical methodology in capital expenditure (CAPEX) projects within the sector serves as a systematic and organied practice aimed at optimizing the overall value of projects by managing costs while achieving quality and performance requirements. This makes it especially significant in the life sciences industry, where innovation, cost efficiency, and compliance play crucial roles in project success.  

Digitalisation

The construction industry has been notoriously slow at adopting digital tools. Nonetheless, implementing tools such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Augmented Reality (AR) in support of projects can help optimize the construction phases, especially for progress monitoring. Depending on how it is implemented, this cannot only improve design and construction management but also bolsters daily operations such as operator training and maintenance. 

Greening the Sector (ESG) 

Sustainability is rising rapidly up the life sciences agenda, due to combined demand from shareholders, customers and employees. Our recent ESG round table discussed how some major pharmaceutical companies are reviewing Scope 1 and 2 emissions, focusing on efforts to phase out fossil fuels and use certified renewable electricity are among the key strategies being used here. However the challenge of managing scope 3 emissions remains significant, with work to shorten supply chains is driving greater investment in European facilities. 

Connect with us at ACHEMA 2024 to take this conversation further 

Achema serves not just as a platform for showcasing innovations, but also as a catalyst for the exchange of ideas and the forging of partnerships that will shape the future of Life Sciences. Linesight looks forward to delving deeper into these insights, and exploring how together we can bolster your upcoming projects. 

If you would like to schedule a meeting with Marc ahead of, or during ACHEMA 2024, please email marc.sonnichsen@linesight.com, or complete the contact card above.