SGS is investing €3.5 million to undertake a two-phase expansion project at its laboratory in Poitiers, France, to implement a 50% increase in bioanalytical capabilities at the site by 2020.
The initial phase of the project was completed in November 2018, with the delivery of a new, 150 sq. meter immunoassay laboratory, equipped with 8 instruments (MSD, ELISA, Luminex, Ella) and with the capacity to employ 20 analysts.
The second phase of the expansion will commence with the construction of a new, 800 sq. meter building, housing both a new laboratory and office space, and the renovation of the existing laboratory at the site. Alongside the renovation works will be the introduction of a new electronic laboratory notebook system across the entire facility, as well as upgrades to the site's quality management system and sample automation capabilities.
Recruitment of new staff, which has seen an increase of over 25% over the past two years, is set to continue and will further accelerate by Q3 2019.
"This major investment in equipment, facilities and expert staff will significantly increase the capabilities at the site to match increasing demand and shorten processes for our pharmaceutical clients,” A4lain Renoux, Laboratory Director, said. “SGS has a commitment to offer a global presence with a center of excellence model, and it is through investment in both the state-of-the-art facilities and staff that we can meet this ambition."
SGS's Poitiers laboratory currently offers a full range of bioanalytical services for both small molecules and biologics, including mass spectrometry, immunoassays and cell-based assays. The expansion at the site follows SGS's recent announcements of investment and expansion of services at its Lincolnshire, IL, Geneva and Mississauga, Canada laboratories.