Solaris on Handelsblatt, what do they tell?

13th June 2022, Handelsblatt.com

Handelsblatt well-known German economy and finance newspaper talks about Solaris in the article by Christian Wermke.

The article describes how Solaris is involved in the fermentation also for the artificial meat business, “they all use Solaris bioreactors. Not only medicines, but also artificial foods can be grown in it” writes Wermke.

“Mantua, finely manicured lawn, white facade, designer furniture at the reception: at first glance, the Solaris headquarters appears modest. Yet, one of the most innovative companies of the still young biotech industry is hiding here, in the middle of an industrial park in Mantua, in northern Italy.”

This is the initial journalist’s description of our company, citing the internationality of the market to which Solaris sells bioreactors and fermenters, naming some of its well-known customers.

“Matteo Brognoli, co-founder and CEO of Solaris, leads to the heart of the company: a large hall behind the administration wing where the bioreactors are assembled. All systems are custom made for each client.”
Going into the details of the equipment Wermke mentions “on the upper part of the tank of each bioreactor there is a motor that keeps the biomass in motion. The device can be controlled down to the smallest variable via a touchpad: temperature, pressure, cleaning, sterilization. Solaris has developed and uses its proprietary Leonardo software for this management.
Each plant that is assembled and tested on Solaris is then reinstalled by Solaris employees at the customer site, thus replicating an identical system. The smallest reactors contain only 200 milliliters and the largest exceed 30,000 liters. They can be mounted on tables in research laboratories, or they can be stand-alone systems, if larger and with greater volumes. Very little can be standardized, each container is designed for a specific purpose.
The only thing they have in common are the microorganisms or cells that are grown in a nutrient medium.”

As described in the article, fermentation is a process that dates back to ancient times, “the oldest bioreactor in the world has more than 5000 years of history: the brewing kettle. The microorganisms involved in this case are yeasts, which convert the sugar in the must into alcohol, as is also the case for the production of wine.”

Speaking of the fields of application, the focus comes from the world of foodtech “honey without bees, minced meat without beef. Over the past two decades, the market has suddenly expanded to include various further sectors: advanced technology allows pharmaceutical companies to produce antibiotics or vaccines. Cosmetic companies grow organic ingredients for their creams and ointments in reactors. The systems are also used in the production of biopesticides, biofuels, and artificially produced foods such as laboratory meat or cheese.

Food will be the area with the greatest growth potential in the coming years, is one of the beliefs that drives Solaris’ business. “Salmon fillet without fish, minced meat without beef, honey without bees: these are the success stories that his customers hope and that he wants to make possible with his installations.”

The interest in the sector has grown rapidly in recent years, as explained in the article, following the increasing need for biotechnological processes and this has brought with it the growth of the company.

“Today Solaris has HQ in Mantua and sales and service locations in Malaysia, California and Massachussets, supplies businesses in 40 countries and employs 44 people. Its customers are also recognized among the most well-known industries (pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, biopolymers and many other fields).
The largest sales market for fermentation is the US, followed by Italy, Israel, France and Great Britain. Overall, the pandemic has significantly accelerated the growth of the Italian biotech industry.”

In conclusion, the recent acquisition is mentioned “since November 2021, the US group Donaldson, one of the largest suppliers of filtration products, is the new owner of Solaris. With Donaldson, they gain the opportunity to grow much faster than before.”

Read the complete article on Handelsblatt.com