The first steps have now been taken for the Danish pharmaceutical giant’s new factory in Odense, and many areas across Denmark are looking on enviously. When Novo Nordisk invests, it’s not millions, but billions. And a lot of them.
Over the past three years, Novo Nordisk has announced major investments in Denmark worth more than 90 billion kroner when fully realized. If Novo wanted, they could build their own Fehmarn Belt connection – perhaps even with six lanes.
Of that amount, 8.5 billion kroner is now going to Funen, but what would it take for Funen to become Falster? According to Novo itself, Odense was chosen because of access to green energy, good infrastructure, and qualified labor.
The quick answer is that all of this is also available on Lolland-Falster. So isn’t it obvious for Novo Nordisk to bring their billions to the South Sea Islands?
When it comes to green energy, there’s a big checkmark. Lolland Municipality leads the pack, producing green energy for 191,400 households – even though there are “only” just over 40,000 households in the municipality. There is therefore plenty of green energy available for Novo’s production of medicine for people with obesity, hemophilia, and diabetes.
Potential delays
Infrastructure is also a major advantage, but only when the Fehmarn Belt connection is completed. The direct route to Hamburg will be a trump card for business. However, there is still uncertainty about where the stations will be placed. The more stations proposed, the longer the travel time between Hamburg and Copenhagen will be. And then there is the question of whether the Germans are as ready as Denmark to finish by 2029. Large infrastructure projects tend to be delayed.
Access to labor might also be a challenge. Novo Nordisk itself highlights Funen and the Triangle Region as a unified recruitment area. Something similar could happen in the Fehmarn region when the tunnel is completed and trains start running. Here, an engineer from Lübeck could start up their Audi and drive to work in Maribo or Vordingborg. A report from Cowi, published last week, shows that Lolland-Falster could attract 23,500 commuters from northern Germany. That corresponds to the number of people who can reach Nykøbing within an hour. Labor should therefore not be a problem in the future. But only once buses and trains are running under the Fehmarn Belt.
The role of municipalities
Public services play a major role in attracting the right employees and companies. Ikast-Brande does this well. Parents who work four days a week can choose a corresponding daycare module in nurseries or kindergartens – and pay less for it. This flexibility is crucial in a labor market where some work from home, while others have three-shift schedules and need childcare to make everything work.
Every year, the Confederation of Danish Industry crowns Denmark’s most business-friendly municipality based on a number of parameters. Ikast-Brande tops the list year after year and did so again in 2024. Not just because of childcare options, but because they excel in many other areas. By comparison, Guldborgsund Municipality ranks 35th, Lolland Municipality 68th, and Vordingborg comes in at 81st – out of 98 municipalities.
Ranking high on the list doesn’t mean everything. Odense is ranked 61st, but it leads in robotics and has a university. So their placement on the DI list matters far less. For Lolland and Guldborgsund municipalities, however, it probably does matter.
