Sartorius Stedim Biotech expands manufacturing and R&D capacities for innovative bioprocess solutions in France

Single Use Bags

Aerial View: Sartorius Stedim Biotech Aubagne © Denis Caviglia

Aerial View: Sartorius Stedim Biotech Aubagne © Denis Caviglia

Ribbon Cutting Aubagne © Denis Caviglia

Production Cleanrooms: Sartorius Stedim Biotech Aubagne © Denis Caviglia

Production Cleanrooms: Sartorius Stedim Biotech Aubagne © Denis Caviglia

– Cleanroom space almost doubled, with automated production lines for single-use bags
– Automated logistics and warehouse platform to further increase delivery capability and speed
– Extended lab space for product development, customer demos, and training

On June 17, 2025, Sartorius Stedim Biotech, a leading partner of the biopharmaceutical industry, today celebrated 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.

Since 2021, Sartorius Stedim Biotech has invested significantly in its French operations, including Lourdes, Cergy, Pompey, and Strasbourg. Today, around 1,400 employees work at seven sites in France – thereof more than 1,100 in Aubagne. Over the past ten years, the number of employees in the country has approximately doubled.