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Takeda's Manufacturing Facility in Belgium

Learn about our Manufacturing Facility in Belgium 

The Lessines manufacturing site in Belgium is responsible for Takeda’s production of plasma-based therapies. With a 75+ year pioneering legacy in producing plasma-derived therapies, and as a leader in rare diseases, Takeda is well-established as a top three global player and has an excellent portfolio of plasma-derived products.

The Lessines site has been in operation for over 50 years and specializes in immunoglobulin (IG) used for plasma-derived therapies to treat rare and complex chronic diseases. The site focuses on purification with filling and packaging capabilities for plasma-derived therapies and also acts as a packaging center for products used to treat blood disorders. Takeda in Lessines is proud to supply more than 80 countries.

Commitment to our people

As an employer, we live and breathe diversity, equity & inclusion and actively invest in the development of our people across all areas. We offer versatile training and development opportunities to best meet our people’s skills and passions. 

We also work closely with our highly qualified Biotech Ecosystem of universities and organizations to educate our people through training programs, for example, Aptaskil, the Competence Centre for Chemical, Biopharmaceutical, and Biotechnology Professions, and the EU Biotech Campus that will be built in Gosselies in 2025.

With the creation of several gardens on the manufacturing site and the determination to evolve into a campus-like workplace, we are contributing to our ambition to ensure the well-being of each and every one of us in our daily lives by creating a new, sustainable way of working together that:

  • Boosts on-site life and brings nature back to the heart of our site
  • Brings people together and accelerates co-creation
  • Takes care of our health and well-being
  • Stimulates exchange and informal moments
  • Stimulates creativity and innovation
  • Offers flexibility and diversity of space to meet individual needs

The best ideas come from our people, which is why we have several internal resource groups consisting of employees who devote 10% of their working time to important societal issues. We have the following committees:

  • TakedaFit Committee: Lessines has sports facilities, and this committee organizes sports courses and activities both on and off-site.
  • Takeda DE&I Committee: Take Pride, disability awareness, ethnic and cultural differences, gender equality, etc.
  • Sustainability Committee: All topics relating directly or indirectly to sustainability.
  • Social Club Committee: All events that bring employees together at informal gatherings, on and off-site.

Focusing on global environmental sustainability

Our manufacturing site in Lessines is the first in the pharmaceutical industry worldwide to recycle its wastewater. The site installed a water treatment system to supplement fresh water for production processes, already reducing up to 50% of its freshwater consumption. This equals an annual water consumption of approximately 18,000 Belgian citizens. Our ambition at the Takeda Lessines site is to become a carbon net-zero facility by 2030. So far, we have invested in:

  • Sourcing 100 percent renewable electricity
  • 8,000 solar panels, with thousands more to come
  • Reducing our current city (fresh) water withdrawal by 50% through our state-of-the-art water recycling modules
  • The planned installation of 2 wind turbines
  • Geothermal energy implementation
  • Enhancing biodiversity on-site with native and melliferous plants, trees, ponds, beehives, flowered meadows, sheep, and vegetable & herb gardens
  • 70 electric charging stations available to employees (more to come)

Our Jobs

The Lessines site is active 24 hours a day, 7-days a week. In addition to professionals trained in biotechnology, such as Production Technologists and Process Engineers in pharmacy, chemistry, and biotechnology, our production also calls on professionals such as:

  • Production Technicians (purification or filling or packaging or set-up)
  • Production Team Leaders
  • Manufacturing Science Specialists
  • EM Analysts
  • Validation Engineers
  • Maintenance Technicians
  • QA Ops Specialist
  • Supply Chain

We also offer opportunities in IT, Data, Digital & Technology (DD&T), Purchasing, Finance, HR, and other business functions. At our Lessines site, professional training and continuous education are central elements of how we uphold our commitment to patients while creating a dynamic and attractive work environment.

Emphasis on career development and continuing education

Our sector and the needs of our patients are constantly changing, which is why we emphasize continuous training. We actively support and invest in the development of our employees through a 50/40/10 training model:

  • Training Based on Experience (50%) - Training Based on Experience corresponds to skills developed on the job. This may include leading a project or workgroup, global, cross-functional, or departmental experience, special or temporary assignments, coaching or mentoring others, expanding the scope of the position, or increasing budget and personnel responsibilities.
  • Feedback and Networked Learning (40%) - Feedback-based learning is achieved through feedback from managers, colleagues, a professional network, or the presence of a coach or a mentor.
  • Education-Based Training (10%) - This refers to courses, seminars or workshops, academic programs, books, and other self-directed materials.

Many resources and benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, prioritizing wellbeing, career growth, and work-life balance:

  • Generous Time Off: 20 days of paid vacation in accordance with Belgian legislation, with additional days granted based on seniority and age.
  • Health & Wellbeing: Comprehensive health and hospitalization insurance, annual check-ups starting at age 45, and support for preventive healthcare.
  • Family Support: Paid leave for maternity, paternity, and adoption, along with dedicated spaces for nursing mothers.
  • Career Development: Access to a Learning Catalog, language courses, and opportunities for internal and international mobility.
  • Transportation & Eco-Benefits: Contributions for public transport, incentives for cycling, and on-site charging stations for electric vehicles.
  • Additional Perks: Meal vouchers, eco-cheques, a flex plan, a 13th-month salary, and pension support.

2023 Facility of the Year Award
For our Plasma-derived Therapies Manufacturing Site in Belgium

Certified Top Employer 2024 Takeda is one of just 17 companies that received the Global Top Employer certification, and it was additionally certified as a Top Employer across 24 countries.

Our Location

Explore the area
  • Bd René Branquart 80, 7860 Lessines, Belgium

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