Japanese Firm Invests 25M in Lleida Medical Plant

Nipro is moving a long-established dialysis-products operation within Spain, and the details matter because they show how the company is reshaping its footprint in Catalonia. The Japanese medical group said it will invest about 25 million euros in a new plant in Lleida, shifting production from its current site in nearby Mollerussa to the Torre Solé industrial estate. The new factory is meant to expand output rather than leave the area, according to company statements reported this week. Operations are scheduled to begin in 2028. The move centers on a business Nipro already runs in the province. Nipro Renal Solutions Spain says its Mollerussa site, founded in 1994, employs more than 40 people and produces acid concentrates and bicarbonate cartridges used in renal care. Segre reported that the current plant has been in Mollerussa for 32 years, and the company said the site’s size and infrastructure now limit further expansion. (segre.com) ### Why is Nipro leaving Mollerussa if it is staying in the same area? Nipro said the change is a relocation and expansion of its existing operations, not an exit from the area. Company sources told Segre that the Mollerussa factory has served the business well, but no longer offers enough room or infrastructure for future growth. The new site in Lleida is expected to provide higher capacity and more room to scale production over time. (nipro-group.com) The company has not said how many jobs the new plant will add. Segre reported that Nipro expects the project to create new employment opportunities as operations grow, while keeping its priority on preserving and strengthening its activity in the region. (segre.com) ### What exactly will the new plant make? The new Lleida factory will continue making the same core products now produced in Mollerussa. Nipro said production will remain focused on acid concentrates for hemodialysis and bicarbonate cartridges, which are used in dialysis treatment for patients with severe kidney failure. The company said the upgraded site should improve operational efficiency, technology and capacity. (segre.com) Segre reported that Nipro wants the new plant to become one of its main European centers for dialysis fluid production. APD’s English-language summary of the announcement said the Lleida facility is intended to become one of the group’s main European centers for dialysis fluid. (segre.com) ### Why did Nipro choose Torre Solé? Nipro said the Torre Solé site was selected for its logistical connectivity, available talent and ability to support the company’s long-term operating plans in the region. Segre reported that the land sits on the outskirts of Lleida near the LL-11 and the southern bypass, giving the site road access that the company highlighted in explaining the choice. (segre.com) Torre Solé is a relatively new industrial estate in Lleida. The city said in 2023 that the privately promoted development covered 36 hectares between the Camí dels Frares industrial area, the LL-11 and the southern bypass, and that urbanization work would allow companies to begin processing building permits. (segre.com) ### How does this fit into Lleida’s investment push? Lleida’s city government has been building an investment-attraction structure around new industrial projects. Segre and APD both said Invest in Lleida and Talent, a municipal office created to attract business projects, took part in bringing Nipro’s project to Torre Solé. (paeria.cat) The city launched the Invest in Lleida office in September 2024 to accompany investors and speed administrative procedures, according to the Paeria. In January 2025, the city said it was coordinating that effort with Catalonia’s trade and investment authorities through a joint working commission. (apd.cat) ### How big is Nipro’s existing presence? Nipro is not entering Spain from scratch. The company’s Spain renal-solutions page says the Mollerussa operation has been in place since 1994 and forms part of Nipro Medical Europe. Nipro’s corporate materials describe the group as a global healthcare company founded in 1954, while Segre reported it had more than 38,000 employees and operations in more than 60 countries. (paeria.cat) The next steps are administrative and construction-related. APD reported that the project is in the planning and permit-processing phase, and Segre said Nipro expects the new Torre Solé plant to enter service in 2028 after land acquisition and development work tied to the relocation from Mollerussa. (apd.cat) (nipro-group.com)