BRAIN Group expands production capacities as demand increases
- BRAIN subsidiary WeissBioTech sets up new production facility
in Büttelborn, near Darmstadt, Germany - BRAIN subsidiary Biocatalysts expands and optimizes its production capacities
- Paving the way for future growth
The BRAIN Group announces an expansion of its production capacities. The installation of new production facilities in both Büttelborn, near Darmstadt, Germany, by WeissBioTech GmbH (WBT) and in Cardiff, Wales, by Biocatalysts Ltd. lays the foundation for future growth.
The companies of the BRAIN Group form a closely knit network in the fields of R&D and production or as suppliers in specific markets. Drawing on the particular competencies of its subsidiaries, BRAIN brings its own innovative research results to market launch and commercializes existing products. By expanding its production capacities, BRAIN reinforces the strategic focus on its product business.
WeissBioTech sets up new production facility in Büttelborn
WeissBioTech GmbH (WBT) has been a part of BRAIN Group since 2014 and is a leading supplier in the field of enzymes, yeast starter cultures, natural preservation systems, and other fermentative products for the food industry and other market segments.
In order to open up capacities for further growth and to increase logistics efficiency, WBT has set up a new production facility at Büttelborn. The Büttelborn labs, where components such as enzymes, yeasts, and process adjuvants for the production of fruit and vegetable juices, wine, beer, and bioethanol are developed and manufactured, are specifically geared towards application-oriented work. The labs benefit from the local proximity to BRAIN AG and other key partners because, because for the most part the group’s research and development activities still take place at BRAIN AG’s Zwingenberg head office. The new production facility was designed in accordance with the latest ISO and food safety standards such as ISO 22000 and the FSSC system. Its size of 4,500 sq. m. means a significant expansion of WBT’s storage, production and research facilities.
The new facility was opened on December 11th, 2019 and is intended to be brought into service in early 2020. WeissBioTech will retain its head office and administrative headquarters in Ascheberg near Münster, Germany. However, the company will give up its plant in Chanteloup-en-Brie near Paris, France.
Matthias Enste, who assumed the position of Managing Director at WeissBioTech on November 1st, 2019, says: “The new building constitutes our basis for further growth. It allows us to guarantee a more efficient execution of our logistics processes since we now have our own warehouse space. The local proximity to BRAIN AG will make our cooperation even more efficacious.”
Biocatalysts expands and optimizes its production capacities
Biocatalysts Ltd., a member of the BRAIN Group since 2018, is one of Europe’s leading suppliers of specialty enzymes. The company’s portfolio includes the development of enzymes and their small- and large-scale production, ranging from kilograms to tons, as well as global distribution operations for various industries such as the food and fine chemicals sectors.
In 2019, the company made significant progress on the construction of a new production plant in Cardiff. The facility will contain leading edge technology delivering LEAN manufacturing methodology. This sixteen fold increase in Biocatalysts fermentation capacity will give seamless scale up capability from bench top to full commercial manufacturing. The facility will safeguard customer supply and enable delivery of the company growth strategy. Commissioning, site hand-over, celebratory opening events and ultimately routine manufacturing are scheduled for the near future.
Rod Sears-Black, Managing Director of Biocatalysts, says: “The new facility is key to delivery of our corporate vision of being the worlds leading speciality enzyme company and confirms Biocatalyst’s position as the complete supplier to the biotech industry.”
Ludger Roedder, Chief Business Officer at BRAIN, adds: “We draw on the specific competencies of our subsidiaries to bring our own innovative research results to market launch and to commercialize existing products. The expansion of our production capacities is a logical step on the path to commercializing our product base.”
More Information
The BRAIN Group: https://www.brain-biotech.com/brain-group
Biocatalysts Plant Extension – Progress Update, June 27th, 2019: http://www.biocatalysts.com/2019/06/biocatalysts-plant-extension/
Press Image 1
Press Image 2
Press Image 3
About BRAIN
BRAIN Biotech AG is a leading European supplier of bio-based products and solutions such as enzymes and proteins, microbial production strains, natural compounds and biotechnological solutions for more sustainable industrial processes. The company focuses on the fields of nutrition, health and environment.
BRAIN Biotech AG is the parent company of the international BRAIN Biotech Group. The Group's business activities are divided into three segments: The BioProducts segment comprises the product business with specialty enzymes and other proteins, for which the Group operates fermentation facilities in the United Kingdom and production facilities in continental Europe and the United States. The BioScience segment offers research-intensive custom solutions based on enzyme technology, strain development, bioprocess development and natural product screening. The BioIncubator segment conducts its own R&D projects or those initiated with partners with high value-added potential. A particularly promising incubator project is the development of the Company's own CRISPR-based gene editing technology platform, which is currently being established and expanded by Akribion Genomics (in foundation planning).
Through its own R&D activities, BRAIN Biotech Group is continuously expanding its product portfolio in the field of specialty enzymes and small molecules. The latter are the starting point for screenings, e.g. for novel drug candidates for pharmaceutical applications.
BRAIN Biotech AG has been listed on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since February 9, 2016 (ticker symbol: BNN; securities identification number: ISIN DE0005203947 / WKN 520394). The company employs approximately 330 people and generated revenues of EUR 55,3 million in the fiscal year 2022/23.
For more information, please visit: https://www.brain-biotech.com, LinkedIn, Threads and YouTube.
About WeissBioTech
WeissBioTech GmbH, headquartered in Ascheberg near Münster, Germany, is a leading supplier in the field of enzymes, yeast starter cultures, natural preservation systems and other fermentative products for the food industry and other market sectors. It supplies both large multinationals and medium-sized manufacturers of fruit juices, beer and wine. The customer base also includes industries that process starch and bioethanol. WeissBioTech was founded in 2002 and has been a member of the BRAIN Group since 2014. www.weissbiotech.com
About Biocatalysts
Biocatalysts Ltd. is one of Europe’s leading companies in specialty enzyme production. Their strategy is to be able to satisfy any customer’s enzyme requirement either through standard, customized or novel enzyme products. Their focus is on using new technology to drive down the cost of novel enzyme production to make it more widely available across multiple sectors. The development of their own metagenomic library, MetXtra gives access to over 300 million unique sequences offering customers a huge choice of potential enzymatic solutions. Biocatalysts enjoys strategic relationships with many of the world’s top blue-chip companies. More information can be found at www.biocatalysts.com.
Disclaimer
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements reflect the current views, expectations, and assumptions of the management of BRAIN Biotech AG, and are based on information currently available to the management. Forward-looking statements are no guarantees of future performance, and entail both known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Numerous factors exist that could influence the future performance of and future developments at BRAIN Biotech AG and the BRAIN Biotech Group. Such factors include, but are not limited to, changes in the general economic and competitive environment, risks associated with capital markets, currency exchange rate fluctuations, changes in international and national laws and regulations, in particular with respect to tax laws and regulations, as well as other factors. BRAIN Biotech AG does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.