Ten years of Eekels and Applikon biotechnology collaboration

Eekels has been collaborating with Applikon Biotechnology for ten years to the full satisfaction of both parties.

Eekels and Applikon Biotechnology first met during a networking meeting of suppliers in the medical industry. This has resulted in the current sustainable cooperation between the two companies.

Applikon Biotechnology is a world leader in development and supply of advanced bioreactor systems from laboratory scale to production scale, and is well-known for its use of the latest technologies in the systems that they bring to the market.

With their "A Step Ahead" motto, Applikon Biotechnology differentiates itself from other suppliers. By focussing only on developing bioreactor systems, Applikon Biotechnology can produce state-of-the-art equipment.

Currently thousands of Applikon bioreactors are being used worldwide. The basis for the development of new structures can be found in the close collaboration with leading international universities, institutes and (strategic) suppliers. Eekels is one of these strategic suppliers for the assembly of the advanced control units.

The process automation of bioreactors is executed by PLC-controlled systems such as Siemens and Allen-Bradley. For the bioreactor control the well-known WAGO I/O components are used. These systems are often used in the pharmaceutical market in which e.g. human vaccines are produced. Moreover, the control units are designed to be applied both for small-scale bioreactors and for thousands of litres of volume. Applikon applies its in-house designed software, which precisely suits the process requirements of demanding pharmaceutical customers.

The control units consist of several modules: the electrical part, the gas part and the “wet” part. These control units are used in combination with the bioreactor that consists of a glass or metal barrel with a varying content from 1 to 1000 litres.

The control units (Bio Console) can be used to influence processes, such as changing temperatures and adding various types of gas and/or liquids, after which the measured values can be fed back into the control unit.

It goes without saying that the suppliers of Applikon Biotechnology have to comply with the highest quality requirements.

At the end of December 2014 this 10-year collaboration was appropriately commemorated.