Strategic Growth
by Timothy S. Oostdyk, Ph.D., Chairman, Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories; Group Sr. Vice President, Eurofins BioPharma Product Testing
As the largest network of harmonized bio/pharmaceutical GMP product testing laboratories worldwide, we strive to be our clients’ preferred global partner. Eurofins BioPharma Product Testing’s prime objective is to grow and support our clients in every way that adds value to them. This has driven us to expand facilities, develop the most comprehensive testing capabilities and expertise available in the industry, and enhance our geographic footprint through acquisitions.
With 22 sites in the US, Europe and Asia, the benefits of such a wide network of labs include the regional presence and expertise to provide testing services to local manufacturing and development sites, and the geographic reach to support global manufacturers and development organizations with needs at multiple sites and in multiple markets.
So how do we strategically grow and ensure that the same high level of quality and consistency is achieved across our 22 global laboratories and more than 60 PSS sites? We have gone to great
lengths to harmonize our systems and train our staff of approximately 3,000 to achieve this. Our team enforces strict global quality policies and a uniform CAPA/Exceptions Management System to deliver consistency in testing and quality across our network. We have invested greatly in harmonizing LIMS,
as well as our online data access portal, LabAccess.com, to deliver access to results, raw data and even scientists’ notebooks in real time. We want our laboratories to be fully transparent. Now that I’ve shared our commitment to strategic growth, let’s look at some of the recent exciting acquisitions added to our portfolio and their complementary services that further enhance our global capabilities.
We recently added eight state-of-the-art laboratory facilities to our global network of cGMP product testing labs through the acquisition of three leading bio/pharma service providers: Sinensis Life Sciences, ams Laboratories, and Advantar Laboratories.
Sinensis Life Sciences is the leading provider of bio/pharmaceutical product testing and cGMP quality control services in the Netherlands with five facilities and specialized GMP Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) services.
ams Laboratories is the leading independent analytical and cGMP Quality Control (QC) services provider for biopharmaceutical products and medical devices in Australia with two facilities specializing in microbiology testing.
Advantar Laboratories is a leading service provider for both small and large molecule analytical development and testing located in San Diego, California, also specializing in formulation and GMP manufacturing services.
The addition of these three highly reputable laboratories to Eurofins BioPharma Product Testing offers many benefits to our clients, including:
- Expands our reach in the Netherlands, Asia Pacific and West Coast United States
- Further enhances our diverse portfolio of small and large molecule capabilities
- Broadens our biosafety testing offering in Europe
- Extends our medical device testing capabilities throughout the US, Europe and Asia Pacific
- Introduces formulation expertise and GMP manufacturing services to our offerings
- Adds GMP Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) services
In addition to growth through acquisitions, we will continue to invest heavily in existing facilities, with recent expansions to our labs in Paris, Milan and Uppsala, and active expansions in the US, Ireland and Munich. For example, our Portage, MI, site has doubled staff, expanded technical capabilities to improve
finished product testing services, and added five new walk-in stability chambers for approximately 6500 ft3 of additional space for ICH storage. (See page 6 for more detailed news on the Portage site’s growth.)
And in Lancaster, PA, we are poised to begin a major campus expansion with plans for a large multi-story building addition to the campus that we expect will create more than 350 new jobs. Slated to commence early 2017, this addition would represent Lancaster’s 13th major expansion in 55 years. And we are currently constructing a new 17,000 square-foot dedicated GMP storage building, which will double the total stability storage capacity at the Lancaster campus to an industry leading 60,000 cubic feet (with 110,000 cubic feet of stability storage space across the global network). And notably this new building
is being designed to be expandable to 45,000 sq. feet, giving us tremendous future growth potential for all manner of GMP storage.
It has been just over five years now since the Lancaster organization joined Eurofins, and one of the many things I really appreciate about Eurofins is the absolute commitment to aggressively funding growth to serve our customers. By continuing to expand the Eurofins global biopharma service offerings and locations, we are able to further develop our existing client relationships in Europe, North America, and Asia. These acquisitions and investments in lab facilities and technology, further demonstrate Eurofins’ commitment to build the best and widest-reaching testing network in the biopharmaceutical market. I believe our aptitude for long term investments in this space is truly market leading, and it makes for very exciting opportunities to continue to enhance the way we serve you.
I sincerely thank you for the trust you place in us, and I look forward to exciting times as we continue our quest to continually enhance our services and relationships with you.
