Thermo Fisher Scientific Constructing Biocenter in Utah

Analytical instrument and laboratory equipment provider Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. of Waltham, Mass., announced it plans to construct an $11 million biocenter for manufacturing single-use bioprocess containers (BPCs), such as Thermo Scientific's HyClone line, and related products at the site of its existing bioprocess production business unit in Logan, Utah. The company said it is making the investment in response to the increasing demand for disposable bioprocessing technology among its customers in the life sciences research, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Bioprocess containers serve cell-culture applications as well as the production of protein-based drugs, and are used in mixing, storage and transportation of bioprocessing fluids and for bioreactors (used to grow cells, proteins and other biochemically active substances). Single-use bioprocessing components eliminate the risk of batch-to-batch cross contamination and significantly reduce startup costs. The 37,000-sq-ft facility is expected to be completed by the fall of 2008. It is the first of a three-phase construction plan that will create a 94,000-sq-ft biocenter over the next four years, replacing and expanding an older BPC operation in Logan, Thermo Fisher said. The new operation will include an administration building, sera and liquid-media processing facility, powdered-media facility, warehouse and the existing BPC facility. The initial project is expected to create 75 new jobs in production and management.