Launch of a new plasma fractionation plant in Ankara

SK plasma, a subsidiary of SK discovery spun off from SK chemicals’ plasma products business, has begun construction of a plasma fractionation plant in Türkiye as part of a self-sufficiency project aimed at helping the country reduce its dependence on imported essential medicines.

The company said Monday it held a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the plant in Çubuk, Ankara. The project is based on a shareholders’ agreement signed in November last year between SK plasma and the Turkish Red Crescent to build a plasma fractionation facility and establish a joint venture.

The joint venture, Proturk, will build a production facility with a total floor area of about 36,000 square meters and an annual plasma processing capacity of 600,000 liters. The plant will produce albumin, intravenous immunoglobulin and factor VIII products, with completion planned for the second half of 2028 and commercial production targeted for 2030.

The project is expected to help Türkiye secure a domestic production base for plasma-derived products, which have so far been supplied entirely through imports. Plasma-derived products are listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as essential medicines and are used to treat serious diseases, including immune deficiencies, bleeding disorders and other conditions where treatment alternatives are limited. The groundbreaking was held in connection with an event at the Turkish Presidential Complex marking the 158th anniversary of the Turkish Red Crescent, or Kızılay.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan joined the ceremony through a live broadcast, underscoring the government’s interest in the project. “The project to establish a plasma fractionation facility, involving an investment of about 500 million euros, is a joint project by Proturk, the Turkish Red Crescent and related government ministries,” Erdoğan said. “It will play an important role in strengthening Türkiye’s production base for essential medicines and reducing external dependence through production self-sufficiency.”

SK plasma will serve as Proturk’s key technology partner and one of its major shareholders. The company will transfer core plasma fractionation technology and support plant construction, quality control, local workforce training and preparations for commercial production. It will also receive technology fees and participate in the management of the joint venture through a 15 percent stake.

Until the Turkish plant begins commercial production, SK plasma plans to carry out a contract manufacturing project under which plasma collected in Türkiye will be fractionated at its Andong plant in Korea and supplied back to Türkiye as finished products. For SK plasma, the Turkish project represents more than a plant construction deal. The company is seeking to expand a business model that combines technology transfer, local production infrastructure, operational support and equity participation, rather than relying only on exports of finished products.

The model allows partner countries to build production capacity for essential medicines, while giving SK plasma a longer-term business base through technology fees, equity interests and operational cooperation. SK plasma is pursuing a similar plasma-derived product self-sufficiency project in Indonesia, where it is transferring technology and supporting the construction of local production facilities.

The company plans to connect its production bases in Korea, Indonesia and Türkiye to build a broader supply network. The company believes that such a network could help improve supply stability by allowing production bases to complement one another if a specific country faces production disruptions or a sudden increase in demand.

“The company has taken the first step in the Turkish project with the trust of Erdoğan and the Turkish government,” SK plasma CEO Kim Seung-joo said. “Based on our production bases in Indonesia and Türkiye, we will build a stable supply system and expand the business scope of K-bio into Europe and the Middle East.”

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Source : Korea Biomedical Review (KBR), June 15, 2026.