The latest update in our US facility improvements includes the building of a 12,000 sq.ft. extension to our building and repositioning our current facility.
At Genesis Biosciences, we’re continuously investing in the future with ongoing construction and redevelopment work to our facilities – and 2021 has seen huge leaps in our planned developments.
Thanks to our global teams’ fantastic work in achieving the FSSC certification, we’re moving closer to being operationally-ready for the production of food/feed grade beneficial Bacillus bacteria for use in human and animal probiotics, alongside our current product outputs.
The repositioning of the US facility was carried out to allow us to expand our fermentation capabilities. Our Lawrenceville (Georgia) base has recently been a hub of exciting activity, with new equipment arriving and being positioned ready for the installation process to begin.
We are currently installing two new 30,000 litre fermenters that were custom made, together with all the additional media tanks and a new 500 litre fermenter as well as 2 new 3,000 litre fermenters which will all form part of the cascading systems.
We have also purchased 2 new Westfalia centrifuges to process the runs once completed before being fed through our spray drier. We have already brought in new boilers and air compressors with the capacity to handle the new equipment along with a whole new electrical system.
One of two new Centrifuges positioned ready for mechanical installation.
New additions to the facility
- New 12,000 sq. ft. extension to our building
- Repositioning of the facility
- Installing two new 30,000 litre fermenters and additional media tanks
- Installing two new 3,000 litre fermenters
- Installing a new 500 litre fermenter
- Installing two new Westfalia centrifuges with new boilers and air compressors
- Installing a whole new electrical system
All of this equipment needs professional engineering to be installed and connected to utilities correctly. We engaged with an engineering company called Polytron in early 2020 to start the planning of the layout – and in June 2021, that process formally began.
The installation of the new equipment is scheduled to continue throughout December followed by system testing before being handed over to us with plans to be fully commercially operational in the New Year.
We’re incredibly keen to see this installation finalised to enhance our fermentation capacity and production levels in order to meet increased global demand for microbial technologies. Our US teams will be moving to a 24/7 fermentation operation in 2022 which allows us to be far more efficient and increase capacities from all 3 x 30k fermenters as well as providing our fermentation team an improved work/life balance – this is a hugely important factor for careers at Genesis Biosciences.
Dr. Chris Charles (VP of Technical Services) and Casey Smallwood (General Manager – US) are finalising plans to recruit the extra bio-process technicians that will be needed to facilitate this change – so expect to meet some of our new team members soon!
Genesis Biosciences’ CEO, Conrad Mielcuszny said: “It’s been such an unusual and challenging year for businesses everywhere, but we have been incredibly fortunate to be able to continue with our planned business expansion. It is a very exciting time for us all as we move forward in a world that is now acknowledging the need for and the broad ranging benefits of beneficial probiotic bacteria.”
Read about our earlier facility improvements conducted in 2020:
- Customer update: Our next round of facility improvements is now complete [Part 1]
- Customer update: Our next round of facility improvements is now complete [Part 2
To find out more about Genesis Biosciences, visit our About page.
This post was originally published on our US site at genesisbiosciences.us.
