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Baxter Inaugurates New Center in Braine-l’Alleud
Baxter recently inaugurated its new headquarters for Baxter R&D Europe and the Belgian commercial and administrative centre of enterprises at Parc de L’Alliance, located in Braine l’Alleud. Parc de l’Alliance, one of the three R&D centers of the group in Europe, represents a significant step forward for Baxter's activities in Belgium and strengthens the company's capacity to continue developing advanced technologies and products.
The new locality merges two sites previously situated in Brussels and Nivelles and is currently housing about 430 workers. This center is unique in that its activities cover all stages of the life cycle of a product – from its conception to its authorization to enter the market. This center will allow the company to further improve its efficiency and performance in the preliminary stages of the commercialization of new treatments. Baxter also has a major production and distribution center in Lessines, which currently employs about 1700 individuals.
Hantson Ludwig, Corporate Vice President and President of Baxter International, announced: "Baxter has a rich history in Belgium. Its first activities in our country date back to 1954, already in 1972 Baxter’s first production unit was launched in Lessines. Parc de l’Alliance is a major step forward for the future of Baxter by regrouping various functions under one roof, which will eventually allow the development of various ideas into solutions for services to healthcare professionals.”
Initial Phase of Research and Development of Targeted Products
The new R&D center of Parc de l’Alliance provides Baxter Europe with an ideal R&D infrastructure to meet future demands for product development and registration. The teams of Parc de l’Alliance of Baxter undertake joint research with renowned European academic and research organizations, in order to remain competitive by continuing to provide technological innovations.
"Our R&D department is vital for advancing Baxter’s current technologies and develop new products in order to provide solutions to hospitals, physicians, healthcare providers and patients. At present, Baxter is conducting clinical experiments and a large number of programs in the initial phase that have the potential to radically modify the treatment and management of care for chronic diseases such as hemophilia, Alzheimer's disease, renal failure or immunodeficiency, as well as threats to public health like pandemic and seasonal flu," said Jo Benoit, General Manager of Baxter Belgium.
During the official ceremony inaugurating the new center, Baxter welcomed many well-known local and international guests, including numerous government ministers and US Ambassador Howard Gutman. They also used the occasion to unveil a commemorative plate inscribed with Baxter's mission: Save and improve lives around the world. In addition, the company hosted a half-day symposium on the theme: Health Care: From Hospital to Home, during which highly respected researchers of the sector stressed the necessity to improve care to patients both in hospitals – and especially at home – as more and more products are being developed to help patients suffering from permanent disabilities.