Category: Company news

The market for medical biotechnology in Germany is growing – and with it, the need for sterilization services. In 2019, for example, BGS recorded an increase in turnover of around 30 percent with products from the biotechnology area. Bioreactors and culture media used in microbiological testing are some of the most frequently treated items.

In the business segment of radiation sterilization, BGS saw further significant increases in 2019 of approximately 24 percent for products from the areas of pharmaceutical primary packaging material and medical devices. The increases are attributed to the excellent situation in the medical technology market and the increased demand for gamma and beta sterilization as the preferred sterilization method of many manufacturers.

Business year 2020: Setting the course for market growth

The increases in the business segment of radiation sterilization provide for a steadily increasing capacity utilization of both gamma facilities at the locations in Wiehl and Bruchsal. “The positive development encourages us to pursue the path we have embarked on and shows that our investments of the last years have paid off,” comments Dr. Andreas Ostrowicki, Managing Director of BGS. The company commissioned a second gamma facility in 2018, and with the introduction of a modern ERP system, optimised numerous business processes and further improved the service quality. In order to ensure long-term customer support and promote market growth, BGS is investing 7 million euros in the current business year for the expansion of its capacity. The productive capacity of both gamma facilities will be increased, for example, through reloads using cobalt-60. In addition, a new logistics hall is being built in Bruchsal that will offer about 2,700 square metres of extra warehouse space by the end of 2020.

With the help of gamma and beta rays, BGS refined about 10 percent more injection-moulded components in 2019 than in the same period last year. The increase in turnover is attributed to the increased demand in the automotive industry. This branch has a growing need for lightweight materials as steadily increasing demands are placed on the thermal, mechanical and chemical resilience of components. Furthermore, BGS recorded ongoing good growth with the crosslinking of piping and rod products used in district heating and cooling technology of urban infrastructure projects.

Automotive industry shows strong interest in radiation crosslinking

Numerous components manufactured from radiation crosslinked plastics are already being used in the engine compartment, for coverings, fastening elements, as well as for components in the interior and exterior area. “We recorded increased demand from automotive suppliers in 2019 and more projects in the area of injection moulding,” explained Dr. Andreas Ostrowicki, Managing Director of BGS. Radiation crosslinking offers new possibilities, especially for lightweight construction, as conventional plastics can also be qualified for demanding tasks using this refining technique. Crosslinked components show significantly improved properties in terms of heat and abrasion resistance, mechanical stability and creep behaviour. Ostrowicki also believes radiation crosslinking is becoming more interesting for the automotive industry in view of growing cost pressure: “Depending on the amount of the procurement costs for high-performance plastic, substituting it with a crosslinked material can lead to substantial direct savings. Other factors include reduced process costs, since radiation crosslinked compounds distinguish themselves through easy processing (e.g. low processing temperatures compared to high-performance plastics).”

Building sector also provides for increased turnover in area of radiation crosslinking

BGS registered a further increase of piping and rod products (around 10 percent) in 2019 over the previous year. The increases in this segment can be ascribed to a continuing good economy in the building sector – in particular, district heating and cooling systems of urban infrastructure projects process crosslinked piping. Radiation crosslinking ensures the performance characteristics of piping systems over a long period: It provides for improved creep behaviour at high temperatures and internal pressure, and consequently higher aging resistance. A major part of the piping systems is irradiated in Bruchsal with the help of a special handling system that tolerates dimensions of up to 12 metres for pipes and rods.

Business years 2020 and 2021: Modernisation and expansion at locations

After extensively modernising the electron accelerators at company headquarters in Wiehl, BGS is also investing millions of euros in the modernisation of the facilities and handling technology at the locations in Bruchsal and Saal a.d. Donau. Planning is underway in Bruchsal for the construction of a new logistics hall: A total of 2,700 square metres of new warehouse space will be created here by the end of 2020.

BGS has been a leading service provider in the area of industrial applications of beta and gamma rays for many years and it continues its steady expansion course. This also means that processes are regularly reviewed and continually optimised – especially for our customers. Apart from reliability and flexibility in the processing of orders, it is important to have constant contact persons – across all our locations.

As a result, BGS is further consolidating its administrative order processing. At our plant in Bruchsal, we have already completed this step successfully starting 1 November 2018. We are now taking the next step and shifting the administrative processing of orders from our location in Saal a.d. Donau to our headquarters in Wiehl.

The centralisation will take place on 1 April 2020.
The processing of all customer orders, coordination of dates, invoicing, as well as customer service will be exclusively controlled from the company’s headquarters as of this date, irrespective of the location where the goods are irradiated.

We have informed our customers by post in calendar week 7 about the centralisation of the order processing. We are happy to answer any questions about the changeover under +49 (0)2261 7899-0.

Radiation crosslinking has long been used in the production of injection moulded parts. Radiation crosslinking of films, on the other hand, offers hitherto untapped potential for new appplications in the thermoforming of filled materials.

The following research results obtained at the Chair of Polymer Technology in Erlangen, Germany, together with BGS Beta-Gamma-Service, show among other things that the process window during thermoforming of filled films can be significantly widened by radiation crosslinking the semi-finished film articles.

You can download the complete article here as a PDF file.

(Kunststoffe international 10/2019, Authors: Lisa-Marie Wittmann, Dr. Dirk Fischer, Prof. Dr.-Ing Dietmar Drummer)

In the 26th edition of the innovation competition TOP 100, BGS Beta-Gamma-Service GmbH & Co. KG has secured its position among the best:  At the awards ceremony held on June 28 in the Frankfurt Jahrhunderthalle, the company was officially honoured for its innovative strength by Ranga Yogeshwar, the mentor of the competition, and Professor Dr. Nikolaus Franke, the scientific leader of the contest. On the basis of a scientific classification, TOP 100 assesses the innovation management of small and medium-sized enterprises and the innovative accomplishments that emerge from this. In the independent selection process, BGS convinced the jury especially in the category “innovative measures to support top management” as well as with its external orientation.The company with currently 180 employees fits smoothly into the ranks of the innovation leaders of Germany’s small and medium-sized enterprises.

“We are very pleased about the award and consider it a confirmation of our work”, comments Dr. Andreas Ostrowicki, Managing Director of BGS. “At our company, innovative strength is not only reflected in our open-mindedness towards innovative ideas, but in particular, in the ongoing development of solution ideas for our customers and the continuous research of new application areas for our services.” 

In addition to the sterilization of medical devices amongst other things, the Top Innovator, founded in Wiehl near Cologne in 1981, has specialised in the processing of plastics for electrical technology, the automotive industry and mechanical engineering. Radiation crosslinking makes inexpensive commodity plastics more robust, heat-proof and resistant against abrasion and corrosive chemicals – the process is comparable to the tempering of metals. In this way, metallic materials can be replaced by plastics without using expensive high-performance plastics – a technology where Dr. Ostrowicki sees great potential in lightweight construction, for example in the automotive industry. Meanwhile, the company operates two gamma radiation plants and eight electron accelerators at its locations in Wiehl, Bruchsal and Saal a. d. Donau, and is Germany’s leading service provider for the treatment of products with accelerated electrons (beta rays) and gamma rays.

About the TOP 100 Competition

Since 1993, compamedia GmbH has awarded the TOP 100 seal of approval for outstanding innovative strength and above-average innovation achievements to small and medium-sized enterprises. Professor Dr. Nikolaus Franke has been head of the scientific management since 2002. Dr. Franke is the founder and director of the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration. Mentor of TOP 100 is the science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar. Project partners are the Fraunhofer Society for the Promotion of Applied Research and the German Association for Small and Medium-sized Businesses (BVMW). As media partners, manager magazin, impulse and W&V support the comparisons between the companies. More information at www.top100.de.

The company BGS, established in 1981 and headquartered in Wiehl near Cologne, covers two major areas of activity: Radiation sterilization and refinement of materials. With its other branches in Saal an der Donau and Bruchsal, the radiation specialist is represented at three locations in Germany. In an interview with our editorial team, Dr. Andreas Ostrowicki, Managing Director of BGS, provides more details. Read more

BGS Beta-Gamma-Service, the German market leader for radiation sterilization, is set to expand its activities in the UK and will promote its services for the first time at Health GB Manchester from 30 April to 2 May. “The UK market for medical devices is the third largest in Europe and has a significant demand for high-quality sterilization services”, says Dr Andreas Ostrowicki, the company’s CEO.

Expansion of sterilization capacities in Bruchsal

Wiehl/Ottawa, May 12, 2016: BGS Beta-Gamma-Service GmbH (BGS) is investing in a new gamma radiation plant in Bruchsal, drawing upon the expertise of Nordion Inc. of Canada. BGS has previously cooperated with the Canadian manufacturer of cobalt-60 and gamma irradiators on the first gamma plant at BGS headquarters in Wiehl 20 years ago. BGS and Nordion have now developed a flexible and efficient gamma plant specifically designed to meet the requirements of BGS and the Bruchsal location.

This new gamma radiation plant means an expansion of capacities for BGS – in particular to meet growing demand from the medical technology and biotech industries in the field of sterilization. Delivery and installation of the new plant is scheduled for Q1 2017, with the start of operation in mid-2017. The medium-sized, family-run company is once again relying on Nordion technology for the new plant. BGS purchased its gamma radiation plant in Wiehl from the Canadian experts in 1997, continuously developing it to meet the company’s requirements. Nordion has also been providing BGS with the cobalt-60 required for the plant for many years. “We congratulate BGS on this important expansion project in the field of gamma radiation services in Germany and are proud to be a part of this project,” says Eric Beers, Sr. Director of Sales and Marketing at Nordion.

Increased demand and sustainable expansion strategy

At maximum utilization, the new gamma radiation plant in Bruchsal has an annual capacity of 80,000 pallets. It was specifically designed based on the experience of both companies to meet BGS’ requirements. The plant is currently in the approval phase and, as things currently stand, should be completed as scheduled. BGS is investing €14 million in the new plant. “For the medical technology and biotech industries – which are particularly significant to Baden-Württemberg as well as to the whole of Germany – having high-quality sterilization services in sufficient capacity is extremely important,” explains Dr. Andreas Ostrowicki, Managing Director of BGS. “The new plant enables us to respond to the rise in demand from our regional customers and further pursue sustainable expansion.”

With gamma radiation technology, pathogenic germs, mold and spores are destroyed without chemical residues, enabling safe, quick and gentle sterilization of medical products, biotech products and pharmaceutical primary packaging. This also applies to packaging in other sectors such as the foodstuffs industry and to raw materials in the fields of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. In order to ensure safe consumption, a broad range of imported consumer goods is irradiated to eliminate harmful germs.

About BGS Beta-Gamma-Service GmbH & Co. KG

BGS is one of the leading service providers in the field of industrial applications of beta and gamma radiation for sterilization and radiation crosslinking. With beta and gamma rays, pathogenic germs are destroyed quickly, safely and in a way that is environmentally friendly. As an industry pioneer, the medium-sized, family-run company has contributed to the development of what have become established methods since 1981. BGS operates one gamma radiation plant and eight electron accelerators at three locations (Wiehl, Bruchsal, Saal). The company employs more than 145 people and is the largest company of its kind in Germany.