Merck Millipore invests €12m in manufacturing capabilities in France

Published: 12-Aug-2014

To expand ready-to-use media manufacturing


Merck Millipore, the life science division of Merck KGaA, is to make a €12m investment at its Molsheim facility in France.

The investment will expand the company's ready-to-use (RTU) media manufacturing capabilities, better provide security of supplies for customers in the region, and sustain the heipha/Hycon product lines, including contact and settle plates (ICRplus plates) and Agar strips for RCS systems, which are used in monitoring ambient air and compressed gases.

'We are committed to providing our customers with a reliable supply of products, including ready-to-use media, which this investment in Molsheim will help to ensure,' said Udit Batra, President and CEO of Merck Millipore.

'Both Molsheim and heipha Eppelheim (Germany) sites will continue to support the increasing demand from our customers. This investment signifies our long-term dedication to Merck Millipore's lab customers in this region and around the world.'

The investment also includes extending the manufacturing capacity space for RTU media, a new cleanroom, and two additional production lines similar to those already used in Eppelheim, where RTU media will also continue to be manufactured.

In addition, current research and development laboratories across various scientific areas of expertise will be centralised to form an Innovation Centre to develop solutions for future customer needs.

The company says the increased manufacturing capacity will meet current and future global market demand. Merck acquired the heipha/Hycon product lines in 2011 as part of its acquisition of Biotest which expanded the division's offerings in industrial microbiology.

The Molsheim facility opened in 1972 and employs approximately 1,030 people. In addition to ongoing R&D activities, the site manufactures products across Merck Millipore's BioMonitoring, Lab Water, and BioPharm Process Solutions business areas.

You may also like