Sartorius

What they do

Sartorius supplies the biopharmaceutical industry and research laboratories. Its Bioprocess Solutions division provides bioreactors, filters, single-use bags and other equipment used to develop and manufacture biological medicines such as vaccines, antibodies and cell and gene therapies. Its Lab Products & Services division makes laboratory balances, pipettes, cell analysis instruments and consumables.

The company was founded in Göttingen in 1870 by the 24-year-old precision mechanic Florenz Sartorius, whose short-beam analytical balance launched the business. Sartorius AG is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and is the parent of Sartorius Stedim Biotech, which is listed in Paris.

Why it matters

Biological drugs are produced in living cells, which makes their manufacture complex and tightly regulated. Sartorius's single-use technologies allow producers to switch between products faster and with less cleaning and validation than traditional stainless steel plants.

That flexibility became especially visible during the pandemic, when vaccine makers had to scale up quickly. The company's role is largely behind the scenes, but its equipment sits inside many of the facilities that make modern medicines.

Products to know

• Biostat: bioreactors for cell culture and microbial processes.
• Cubis: high-precision laboratory balances, a nod to the company's origins.
• Incucyte: live-cell analysis systems for research.
• Single-use bioprocess systems: bags, filters and fluid management for drug production.

The German angle

Göttingen is a university town with a strong scientific tradition, and Sartorius grew up alongside its laboratories as a supplier of precision instruments. The company's headquarters, the Sartorius Campus, remains in the city.

Its evolution from balance maker to bioprocess specialist is typical of how German precision firms have shifted into new markets. Close ties with Göttingen's university and the Max Planck institutes nearby help supply the scientists and engineers it needs.