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.
