Sartorius Stedim Biotech, a leading partner of the biopharmaceutical industry, celebrates the completion of a multi-year capacity expansion project at its headquarters in Aubagne, France. Launched in 2021, the investments in several new facilities underscore the company’s dedication to providing customers with innovative fluid management technologies such as single-use bags, used for cell culture, storage and shipping of fluids in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

“By investing in innovation, automation, and sustainability, we are strengthening our ability to meet the evolving needs of our customers while ensuring our competitive positioning and preparing for future growth. This emphasizes our commitment to simplify and accelerate progress in bioprocessing with advanced technologies, enabling new and better therapies to be manufactured faster, more efficiently and more sustainably,” said René Fáber, CEO of Sartorius Stedim Biotech.

To meet the growing demand for single-use bioprocessing solutions, Sartorius Stedim Biotech almost doubled cleanroom space to around 9,000 square meters. Automated and digitized production lines for 2D and 3D single-use bags increase productivity and reliability. Certified with ISCC Plus1, the site uses renewable raw materials to produce plastic components, significantly reducing the share of fossil-based materials in products. The company also adopted ISO 14001, a standard for environmental management systems, to improve the environmental performance and reduce the ecological footprint of its operations.

An automated logistics facility accelerates raw material handling for single-use bag manufacturing. The new 12,000-square-meter high-bay warehouse is optimized for efficient processing of pallets. Autonomous forklifts and mobile robots streamline operations utilizing a Goods-To-Person approach, enabling operators to focus on specialized work. The facility will be fully operational by fall 2025.

The expanded site also includes a new 1,900-square-meter cross-functional lab space, designed to extend collaboration between internal teams and external partners. The facility houses product development labs for fluid management and cell culture technologies, as well as application labs for customer demos and training. It opened its doors to customers in early 2024.

A modern office building at the center of the campus, including a showroom and a conference center, as well as amenities such as a restaurant and a gym, complement the new facilities. The total area of the premises has quadrupled to around 90,000 square meters since 2020. Designed to meet high environmental standards and minimize the ecological footprint of the facility, the buildings earned HQE Excellent and BiodiverCity certifications for sustainable construction and biodiversity measures.