[THE INVESTOR] About 10 bio plants are scheduled to start operating by 2020, according to news reports on Sept. 22.

Four plants including those of pharmaceutical heavyweights Daewoong and Green Cross, both in North Chungcheong Province, will be completed later this year.

SK Plasma’s factory for blood derivatives as well as SK Biotech’s plant are slated to open in 2017 while mega biosimilar facilities of Samsung Biologics and Celltrion will operate from 2018 in Incheon.



Smaller pharmaceutical companies and bio ventures are not exceptions. Hanall Biopharma has invested 41.7 billion won (US$37.74 million) in a new plant set to operate in late 

2017 while more companies including ST Pharm are planning to build their own.

While the heightened interest in the field makes the companies easier to deliver funds, the sudden rise also implies lack of experienced manpower, so much so that anyone with two to three years of experience at big name companies have become “golden”, according to an industry source.

By Hwang You-mee (glamazon@heraldcorp.com)