Plant 6 decision expected by year-end as CDMO leader expands global footprint Samsung Biologics CEO John Rim speaks to reporters in a press conference held on the sidelines of the 2026 BIO International Convention in San Diego on Tuesday. (Samsung Biologics) SAN DIEGO – Samsung Biologics will establish its first official European sales office in Amsterdam, as the leading Korean contract development and manufacturing organization, or CDMO, looks to continue expanding its global presence.“We are planning to open the European sales office in the third quarter of this year,” said John Rim, CEO of Samsung Biologics, in a press conference held on the sidelines of the BIO International Convention in San Diego on Tuesday.“Located at the center of Europe, (the Dutch site) can serve as the most fitting foothold for business activities as it offers a high accessibility from Korea.”Samsung Biologics previously set up overseas sales offices in New Jersey in 2023 and Tokyo in 2025. With the latest opening of the Dutch facility, Rim underscored that it will have secured a sales forefront in three of the largest biopharmaceuticals markets in the world.According to global market analysis Frost & Sullivan, the US accounted for 52 percent of the world’s total biopharmaceutical products market in 2025, followed by Europe with a 20 percent share and the Asia-Pacific region with a 19 percent.“As we continue to secure orders, we are going to figure out our plan for Plant 6 before the end of this year,” said Rim, referring to Samsung Biologics’ sixth manufacturing facility slated to be built at its Bio Campus 2 in Songdo, Incheon.“We are going to break ground for our Bio Campus 3, but we are reviewing which plant should be built first in terms of portfolio. So with the Rockville site and Plant 6, we are steadily increasing our capacity.”The Korean CDMO company completed the acquisition of a biopharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Rockville, New Jersey in March this year, adding an extra 60,000-liter drug substance capacity to its existing 785,000-liter capacity in Songdo to bring the overall production capacity to 845,000 liters. Samsung Biologics announced the $280 million agreement to take over GSK’s Rockville plant in December last year amid the heightened risks of US tariff policies.“We are considering how much capacity we need to expand (at the Rockville site),” said the CEO. “It could be 40,000 liters. ... Tariff is still a big issue, so it’s favorable for us to have presence in the US.”Samsung Biologics noted that it is weighing various options to expand its global footholds as a key factor of its long-term growth strategy, adding that it is assessing possible merger and acquisition scenarios to create synergy with the Rockville facility.According to the CEO, Samsung Biologics has made no changes to its annual guidance of a growth rate between 15 and 20 percent for this year, as the firm continues to expect upbeat earnings.Regarding the ongoing dispute between management and the labor union over compensation, the Samsung Biologics CEO said it poses an uncertainty but does not affect the CDMO’s continuity and supply for clients.“We proactively update our clients on the negotiation process with the labor union so there’s no problem in that,” said Rim, noting that an increase in the wages is likely to have a negative impact on Samsung Biologics’ competitive edge.Samsung Biologics and its labor union have yet to reach a wage agreement. The union's first-ever full-scale strike in May is estimated to have cost the company about 150 billion won ($97 million). Workers have continued a work-to-rule campaign since.