History
Technology we use to write history.
Since the 1970s, we at Bioengineering have been working with great passion on solutions which are driven forward by research and production. This allows us to create systems for a wide range of industries in laboratories and production facilities across the world; this in turn has produced some rather special and lasting customer relationships – something we are extremely proud of. But the most beautiful thing about our history is that we continue to write it every day.
70's
The company is founded on May 3, 1972. The first products developed and brought to market are a pilot system based on the "autosteri|e" principle, the LP351 modular pilot-scale fermentor and the L1523 modular laboratory fermentor. All principles developed by Bioengineering AG-sterile seals, temperature circuits, control thresholds and others - are the state of the art. The first million-franc order comes from Sandoz AG for fungal culturing.
The weight batching system and rotary filter, now in wide use, are developed.
The company rolls out pilot and laboratory equipment of modular design, adaptable to specific process requirements. The fully automated system with mechanical foam separator exhibited in 1976 at Achema, a trade show for the chemical industry, hosted by Germany, comprises a 300L unit, a 30L tank and nine sterile vessels.
An inductive hollow-shaft measuring device for determining stirrer power in bioreactors is developed.
Gruppo Lepetit S.p.a., Milan, ltaly places an order for a series of laboratory fermentors.
The KLF small laboratory fermentor is placed on the market.
The company delivers a 1500 L pilot system for Pfizer Ltd. in Sandwich, UK, and Bayer AG's Elberfeld plant in Wuppertal, Germany.
The company moves to the former weaving mill of Oberholzer Et Co., Wald, Switzerland.
80's
A fermentor with enhanced safety standards is built for Boehringer Mannheim GmbH's Biochemica plant in Tutzing, Germany.
The year 1981 sees a new production record but is also marked by the departure of cofounder Hans Müller. The settlement agreement between Pio Meyer and Hans Müller serves as the basis fora new beginning. Breaches of contract necessitate wearisome legal action against Serra Corporation, CA, USA . Sharply falling demand makes the general business situation difficult.
A 30m3 fermentor is built for Lek, Tovarna farmacevtskih in Kemicni Izdelkov n.sol.o, Ljubliana, Slovenia, as well as an interferon plant for Biogen SA, Geneva.
Despite the strenuous efforts of all employees, sales decline further as a consequence of breaches of contract by the cofounder as well as a lawsuit in progress against MBR. Orders come in at a good pace, especially from BASF AG and BayerAG. The situation improves toward the end of the year, and the outlook for 1983 is good.
Beecham Pharmaceuticals, Great Burgh and Brockham Park, UK, orders a variety of biotechnical equipment. A rise in the popularity of the Archaebacteria generates demand for specialized apparatus; Bioengineering AG proves able to develop and deliver it. Further gains in productivity and sales are accompanied by financial consolidation.
A biotechnical pilot facility is delivered to the Czechoslovak Academy of Science, Institute of Microbiology, Prague. A system (with magnetic drive) for the production of tetanus vaccines is supplied to Connaught Laboratories Ltd., Willowdale, Ontario, Canada.
Initial contacts with customers in the USA, in particular the Lab-Line Bioengineering Ltd. distribution company in Melrose Park, IL.
Bioengineering AG builds a large fermentor for BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
For Miles, Inc, Berkeley, CA, USA, a large-scale plant is designed and constructed to produce coagulation factor Vlll.
Eden-Waren GmbH, Hünefeld, Germany, orders a denitrification plant.
A tetanus vaccine production facility is built and delivered to Sclavo S.p.a., Siena, Italy.
90's
An isomalt plant is constructed for Palatinit Süssungsmittel GmbH, Mannheim, Germany, and a sugar substitute plant for Südzucker AG Mannheim/Ochsenfurt, Obrigheim/Pfalz, Germany.
A cell fermentor is built for Connaught Laboratories in Canada. One single job far surpasses a year's sales for Bioengineering AG when Gist-brocades NV, Delft, Netherlands, orders a biotechnical pilot plant.
As anticipated, 1992 sales fall short of the record set in 1991.The company is forced to declare its first period of curtailed working hours (April 13 to June 13]. Orders pick up at the end of the first half and through the second half of the year. Most of the losses suffered are made up by the end of 1992, and the new assembly building is inaugurated.
In February 1992 , the company experiences sabotage for the first time. A firebornb attack on warehouse machinery in the factory building, aimed at blocking a delivery to Iran in spite of government export approval, causes major damage but leaves the ordered equipment unharmed.The shipment goes out on schedule. Another attempt is made on the equipment while in temporary storage at a freight forwarding house in Munich.
February 1993 : third attack. Ten vessels intended for customers in Europe are blown up in the assembly building. A pharmaceutical plant with process control/instrumentation goes to Ebewe, Unterach, Austria and a cell fermentor to Amgen |nc., Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.
A sales office opens in China. At Achema 1994, the key topics of inversion, nutation and rotation are presented and several Bioengineering products including the lemniscate stirrer and the lnversina mixer are rolled out. A penicillin G plant is delivered to Torrent Gujarat Biotech Ltd., Ahmedabad, India.
A fermentor is built for and supplied to Wyeth Lederle, Vaccines and Pediatrics Division, Pearl River, NY, USA, for manufacturing the Prevnar infant vaccine. Bayer AG, Wuppertal, Germany, orders a continuous sterilization facility.
A 34m3 fermentor is delivered to Rauch Fruchtsäfte GmbH, Rankweil, Austria, which will use it in producing kombucha culture.
A fermentor is constructed and delivered to the lnstituto Nacional de Higiene, Mexico.
A fermentor is built for a biotechnology laboratory at Astra Zeneca REtD, Sodertalje, Sweden. A multipurpose fermentor, combining all production operations from media preparation to chromatography, is constructed.
00's
00's
CupHermann is brought to market. This system permits dust-free conveying of active agents in powder form from weighbatching in the raw materials warehouse to loss-free metering into the processing reactor.
The "Long Factory" wing is inaugurated.
Bioengineering receives continuing education at Novartis. On the invitation of Dr. Martin Griot, 30 employees visit the Novartis Biotech Center at Huningue, France, where a Bioengineering plant was delivered and installed in 2000.
The Bioweight system - which determines the fill level in a vessel by measuring the pressure difference between the top and bottom of the fermentor - is developed. Digital readings from pressure probes are evaluated by computer. The right solution finally comes about through optimization of the temperature - sensitive pressure probes, and Bioweight ships in May. The IFM (Intelligent Front Module), using the Profibus standard to link controllers with the process control system, is developed. The bus connection reduces the configuration effort at the Bioengineering factory and offers the customer the advantages of networked fermentor control. The first Profibus lFMs are delivered to Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Germany, in mid-2003.
The new factory building (with cafeteria) for the Bioequipment division is erected.
Celtrion lnc., lncheon, Korea, places the biggest order in the history of Bioengineering AG.
In 2004, Bioengineering AG continues to establish benchmarks in hygiene technology with the ongoing development of new systems and enhancements in the field of biotechnology.