History

Applikon Biotechnology is a privately owned Dutch company whose purpose is to develop, manufacture and supply on-line process analyzers and bioreactor systems for both research and production use. With the stability that Applikon has shown you can rest assured of dependable service and support in the future. Starting in 1973 Applikon has grown from a small sized company supplying laboratory instrumentation to a dynamic worldwide enterprise capable of supplying a broad and diverse line of bioreactor systems.

Over the years Applikon has developed close cooperative relationships with a variety of academic institutes in order to have access to relevant know-how and bioprocess development. Qualified manufacturing partners ensure that only products made to the highest standards will be delivered to our customers.

Collaboration with specialized engineering firms offer the ability to support turn-key projects. In order to support the customer effectively, Applikon has developed a variety of in-house disciplines, such as:

• Fermentation technology
• Cell culture technology
• Process engineering
• Sterile and hygienic processing
• Expertise and know-how of validation procedures
• Mechanical and electronic engineering
• Measurement and control engineering
• Software development and automation

1973

1974

Applikon BV was founded in 1973 as a subsidiary of Pieterman BV. Pieterman is a glass industry manufacturer.

In 1974 Applikon starts her activities by selling the technical products of Pieterman, the so-called Technical Scientific equipment. The core products are the electrical chemical laboratory analysis instruments of the Swiss Company Metrohm AG. Besides these products, Applikon also represents products of other foreign firms, mainly products based on Biotechnology. Three groups of specialists support these activities, application research, training and project group. This strategy is also anchored in the company name: "Appli" is deducted from the English "to apply"; and the last part "kon" is used in a lot of city names in Switzerland.

1978

In Schiedam a new building is the home base of Applikon. Besides the development of special analyzer equipment for the environmental and the process industry, Applikon starts with the development of small bioreactor systems with control equipment for the biotechnology markets in the Netherlands and Germany.

1983

The sales activities of the bioreactor system stretches out to other European countries and USA. Especially in the USA, the biotechnology sector starts booming. This leads to an American subsidiary of Applikon in Austin, Texas

1984

In 1984 Metrohm and the management gains all the shares of Applikon.

1985

The structure is extended to 2000 sq. meter. The biotechnology activities are put into a new founded company Applikon Dependable Instruments. Into the product range a new group of equipment is introduced. In Situ Sterilizable systems and microprocessor instrumentation for control.

1988

On request of a few big customers in the USA, Applikon moves its activities to the Bay area in San Francisco; Applikon, Inc. finds its home in Foster City, California. European activities are directed in a positive way with collaboration with Universities and Institutes. New developments are started for extending the product program.

1989

1990

The bioreactor program of Contact Flow in Ridderkerk is taken over. Now Applikon gains the technology of the production of child vaccines that was developed with the Dutch Institute for Environmental and Human health issues in Bilthoven.

The premises in Schiedam is now increased to 10,000 m2. Another company, Instrumek BV bases its company on the same area and ADI assumes part ownership of Instrumek. Instrumek is specialized in parts for the biotechnology as an analyzer equipment.

1992

In collaboration with DHV, Amersfoort and the RIVM, Bilthoven, Applikon was awarded an order from the Chinese government to build these large-scale vaccine plants in China. By securing and successfully completing this project, Applikon becomes a factor with large-scale production plants.

1998

The biotechnology division continues to develop. This leads to a new division, AppliSens. AppliSens specializes itself in the field of sensor technology and special separation systems for perfusion cell cultures.

2002

Applikon is awarded ISO 9001 certification.