One of Lithuania’s largest construction companies, Naresta, has completed the construction of a logistics centre for the Stem Cell Research Center, a company belonging to the Northway group of companies and the Northway Biotech cluster, in just nine months. This marks the second joint project between Naresta and the Northway group, further developing Lithuania’s biotechnology infrastructure and strengthening the country’s international position in the life sciences sector.
“The logistics centre completed in nine months represents another significant milestone in expanding the infrastructure of our biotechnology campus, Bio City, and in creating conditions for further development,” says Prof. Vladas Algirdas Bumelis, Founder and Chairman of the Board of the Northway group of companies.
Construction Completed in Just 9 Months
The 1,700 sq. m A++ energy class logistics centre, located on Vismaliukai Street, was started by Naresta in February this year, with construction completed in November. According to Tadas Grincevičius, Head of Naresta, the team’s professionalism on site was tested not only by the complexity of the project but also by weather conditions, from–25°C winter temperatures to an exceptionally rainy summer. Despite these challenges, the team’s experience and innovative project management solutions ensured that the works were delivered on schedule.
“Although the two-storey building is formally classified as a storage facility, its function is far broader. It includes office space, a precisely planned storage area, and high-grade ISO 8 cleanroom facilities with laminar airflow zones, overpressure solutions, and a controlled access airlock. This is a complex, multi-technology facility requiring extremely precise design and impeccable construction quality,” says Grincevičius.
The ISO 8 cleanroom facilities were among the most technically challenging aspects of the project, as they must maintain an exceptionally clean and stable environment. In such spaces, airborne particle levels are strictly controlled, airflow is managed, positive pressure is maintained, and all walls, ceilings, and surfaces must be fully airtight, easy to clean, and resistant to dust accumulation. These requirements made the construction process significantly more sensitive to detail, every joint and surface had to be installed with extreme precision to meet the relevant standards.
“The project stands out not only for its functionality but also for its design: like all buildings developed in Bio City, the logistics centre features a unique façade with lamella cladding. The fact that every building, even a logistics centre, must be aesthetically pleasing and enhance its surroundings is an important added value that the Northway group brings to the city,” adds the Head of Naresta.
The logistics centre will be powered by remotely supplied green energy, further enhancing its environmental sustainability.
This is already the second project delivered by Naresta in cooperation with the Northway group. Previously, one of Lithuania’s largest construction companies successfully completed the construction of the first Gene Therapy Centre in the Baltic States. This facility is part of Bio City, one of the largest biotechnology campuses in Europe, located in the Gulbinai area.
A Modern Ecosystem in the Making
The building has been developed within the Vilnius City Innovation Industrial Park (VCIIP), which is managed by the public institution Northtown Vilnius. The vision implemented at VCIIP is to bring together high-tech companies operating in the state-priority life sciences sector and to provide them with modern infrastructure tailored to research and experimental development.
According to Dr. Gediminas Pauliukevičius, Head of Northtown Vilnius, Lithuania can truly be proud of the achievements and potential of its life sciences industry. However, to enable the sector to continue growing and competing globally, new infrastructure facilities essential for its development must be created.
“The expansion of industry leaders such as Northway Biotech within VCIIP perfectly complements the innovation park’s ecosystem, where synergy between science and business is crucial. Projects like this help drive industry development, the creation and implementation of innovations, and attract the attention of the international scientific and business communities to Vilnius,” says Dr. Pauliukevičius.
He notes that several high-tech companies are already operating in the VCIIP area, and in the near future nearly 20 more companies plan to complete their establishment there, the majority of them active in the life sciences field.
“With industry leaders such as Northway Biotech establishing themselves here, we have a very real opportunity for Vilnius to become a major life sciences industry centre in the entire region,” he adds.
Lithuania’s biotechnology sector has been growing extremely rapidly in recent years, and infrastructure projects like this create the conditions necessary for further business development in the field. A higher concentration of high-tech companies and closer collaboration with research institutions could become one of the key factors enabling Lithuania to become one of the regional leaders in biotechnology in the near future.