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Cambrex Karlskoga is a manufacturer of pharmaceutical active ingredients, advanced intermediates and specialty chemicals. Its history dates back to the time of Alfred Nobel. In 1994 the company was acquired by Cambrex Corporation. Cambrex Karlskoga is an innovative, research oriented company located on the Björkborn Industrial Estate in Karlskoga, Sweden.

Our business concept supports the growth of innovative pharmaceutical industries by supplying them with first-rate development and production services. We currently have approximately 40 standard products, which are manufactured in quantities from 1 metric ton to 1,500 metric tons per year.

At present Cambrex Karlskoga employs 345 people. The company is export-oriented and our customers are mainly research-intensive pharmaceuticals companies based in Europe, USA and Japan.

Cambrex Karlskoga’s heritage dates back to the business that Alfred Nobel established and built up in Björkborn at the end of the 1800's. At that time, the business was primarily engaged in producing explosives. Operations centered on nitric acid, and nitration was the technological key to making explosives and powder.
After the First World War the company began manufacturing chemicals for non-military applications. During the Second World War the company began manufacturing pharmaceutical chemicals. The first active pharmaceutical ingredient was produced in 1941. From 1954 to 1980, finished pharmaceuticals were manufactured at Björkborn. The synthesis routes were founded on classical chemistry and were adapted to suit conditions specific to Björkborn.

In the 1960's, an efficient continuous oxidation technology was developed and transformed the business into a world-leading position. One logical consequence of this was further refining by means of catalytic reduction with hydrogen gas and the production of acid chlorides and raw materials for X-ray contrast preparations.

Throughout the 70's and 80's the company continued to develop international working partners in the pharmaceutical industry.

In the 1980's the company joined forces with Kema Nobel to form Nobel Industries. In 1990, Nobel Industries was divided into two sections, with the military part of the business being taken over by Celsius and the remaining operations being transferred to Akzo Nobel.

In 1994, Cambrex Corporation acquired the civil business from Akzo Nobel and changed the subsidiary name from Nobel Chemicals AB to Cambrex Karlskoga AB.