Merck Millipore invests 12 million euros in manufacturing facilities in France

- Investment expands production capacity for finished media
- Innovation Center for fulfilling and expanding expected customer needs

Merck Millipore, the Life Science division of Merck, announced in August 2014 that it is investing 12 million euros in its plant in Molsheim, France. With this investment, Merck Millipore is expanding its production capacity for ready-to-use (RTU) media. Additionally, it aims to sustainably secure the supply of products to customers in the region and the product families heipha/Hycon, including contact and sedimentation plates (ICRplus plates) and agar strips for RCS® systems, which are used for monitoring ambient air and compressed gases.

"We want to ensure the reliable supply of our customers with products, including ready media. The investment in the Molsheim plant helps us achieve this goal," says Udit Batra, President and CEO of Merck Millipore. "The Molsheim site and the German site heipha Eppelheim both continue to contribute to meeting the increasing demand from our customers. This investment is a sign of our long-term commitment to Merck Millipore's laboratory customers in the region and worldwide."

This investment is based on Merck Millipore's core competencies in media development and experience with media production technology. The production area for ready media is being expanded, and a new cleanroom and two additional manufacturing lines are being added, similar to those in Eppelheim, where ready media are also produced. Furthermore, the current R&D laboratories from various scientific disciplines will be consolidated into an Innovation Center, where solutions for future customer needs will be developed.

With the expanded production capacity, the global market demand will be met, and it will be ensured that capacity can keep pace with market growth. Merck acquired the heipha/Hycon product families in 2011 as part of the acquisition of Biotest AG, thereby expanding its offerings in industrial microbiology.

Molsheim has always been an important location for Merck Millipore since the plant was commissioned in 1972. Approximately 1,030 employees work at the Molsheim site. In addition to ongoing R&D projects, Merck Millipore produces products for the fields of BioMonitoring, laboratory water, and BioPharm Process Solutions at this location.