The Sinteza 1 plant manufactures active ingredients for vertically integrated medicinal products, which represent 70% of the company's range of sales, Krka chairman Jože Colarič told a news conference at the inauguration.

He said the plant would enable optimal production of strategically important active ingredients, thus enabling Krka to boost its competitive edge and its position in all its markets. It will enable it to offer generics in selected key markets first and to respond to regulatory change fast, Colarič said.

The 5,500 sq metre plant employs 61 staff, but Colarič announced an expansion with an even larger facility on the company's 16.6 hectare location in Krško. The construction is slated to start in 2020.

The construction of the plant begun in 2012 with production in its first module launched last year, followed by the second one this summer, according to technical manager Marko Lampret.

The facility comprises 32 reactors, six centrifuges, two filter driers and six vacuum driers. The whole production process is computer managed. The complex also features infrastructural and auxiliary buildings, including labs, and own water and energy supply.

The plant enables production flexibility, Krka chemical production manager Marko Herga said, adding it enabled a relatively fast transition to new products. Providing for small-series production, it can conditionally also enable manufacturing of large series of active ingredients and intermediates.

The Krka group spent EUR 1.2bn on capital expenditure in the past decade. It invested EUR 174m last year and plans to invest EUR 165m this year. About 20 investment projects currently under way will increase production capacities by a third over the next three years.

The company is working on 170 new medicinal products with Colarič also announcing the official launch of Krka's biggest investment yet, a EUR 200m facility Notol 2 at its headquarters in Novo mesto for November.