Roche builds on biotech capability
Biotech Center in Germany to develop biotechnological production
processes for new and existing products.
Roche Vitamins last week opened its new Biotech Centre in Grenzach, Germany. The new facility will develop biotechnological production processes for new and existing products and perform scale-up of processes from laboratory to full technical scale.
It will also provide data for production plant construction as well as for the successful implementation of the processes.
Together with the Biotech Research Center in Kaiseraugst, Switzerland, the Biotech Center in Grenzach forms the divisional Center of Excellence for Biotechnology with approximately 80 scientists. New biotechnological process development will start in Kaiseraugst, and piloting and scale-up will then be performed in Grenzach. The proximity of the two facilities is a key advantage for successful development of such processes, said the company.
Dr Markus Altwegg, head of the Vitamins and Fine Chemicals Division, said in his opening speech: "The new Biotech Centre shows our clear commitment to implement modern biotechnology in future production processes. This investment is in line with our global strategy of innovation and development of new value adding products for our customers."
Dr Manfred Eggersdorfer, head of Research and Development at Roche Vitamins, added: "The Biotech Centre is key for the development of biotechnological production processes for vitamins, carotenoids and new products. These innovative technologies will allow us to remain the cost leader in today's competitive business environment."
Roche's Vitamins and Fine Chemicals division, the world's leading supplier of vitamins and carotenoids to the feed, food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, recorded sales of more than SF3.5 billion in 2001. Roche recently announced it would sell the division to Dutch chemicals company DSM.
