QIAGEN's new investment in Barcelona
QIAGEN is a global biotechnology company founded in Germany in 1987. It specializes in molecular diagnostic technologies, applied testing, academic and pharmaceutical research, providing solutions to discover molecular insights faster, better, and more efficiently for laboratories working on the detection and diagnosis of infectious diseases, cancer, and latent tuberculosis.
QIAGEN's relationship with Barcelona and Catalonia dates back to 2018, when it acquired for 154 million euros a technology company founded by Catalan researchers who developed at the Barcelona Science Park a diagnostic test capable of processing any sample without prior preparation. It was in this space where, during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic, a pioneering syndromic test was developed, enabling faster infection detection to address all phases of the pandemic, and which was distributed worldwide.
Now, QIAGEN will invest 13 million euros in its Barcelona facilities, which will involve moving to new premises in Esplugues de Llobregat, at the former Braun factory, with growth potential to become the new global innovation center for detecting infectious diseases.
Within this framework, QIAGEN entrusted Intermèdia Comunicació with institutional relations and press office functions. On one hand, organizing meetings and visits for QIAGEN's CEO, Thierry Bernard, with high-level public and private institutions and organizations in Barcelona and Catalonia during his four-day stay in the city. On the other hand, conceptualizing and organizing an event with the media to announce the details of this investment and the economic, labor, and social impact this development will have on the city of Barcelona and Catalonia.
Two lines of work were established, addressing the differentiated task of institutional relations and media relations. From the outset, coordination with the client was key to managing all preparatory and organizational aspects, also considering that Thierry Bernard’s availability in Barcelona, traveling from Boston, was limited and institutional agendas were tight. It was important that the city’s and country’s political and social representatives understood the significance of this investment and its growth potential, in addition to being a success story for a Catalan biotechnology company that not only maintained its roots in Barcelona but expanded with the aim of becoming a production center with a capacity of up to 700,000 tests per year, serving as a reference space bringing together the entire medical-technological ecosystem.
Regarding the press event, Intermèdia Comunicació’s team evaluated various scenarios for organizing it, advising the client in the final decision, which was the Esplugues de Llobregat facilities where the company will relocate starting in 2026. From there, work focused on conceptualization – including a small tour of the new, empty facilities – organization, and communication. The approach had two angles: the economic impact of the newsworthy event, the investment; and the social impact, as the new headquarters were selected as the company’s new global center for advancing molecular diagnostics. Intermèdia Comunicació was responsible for crafting the investment narrative, which formed the basis of the press dossier given to the media, as well as drafting the event invitation and press release. The agency also handled media clippings and carried out the economic valuation of the media coverage achieved.
- Creation of a database with the economy and society sections.
- Writing of the investment report.
- Drafting of a personalized letter for the different high-level public and private institutions and organizations.
- Coordination with institutions and organizations to arrange various meetings.
- Conceptualization of the event with the media.
- Management and coordination of the different event providers – venue, technical team (sound, lighting, audiovisual), furniture, and catering.
- Drafting of the invitation and press release.
- Follow-up with the media for the event.
- Attendance by a team from Intermèdia Comunicació and media relations.
- Distribution and dissemination of the press release.
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