Merck Millipore, the Life Science division of Merck, today announced a €12 million investment in its Molsheim, France facility.

This investment will expand Merck Millipore's Ready-To-Use (RTU) Media manufacturing capabilities, better provide security of supplies for customers in the region, and sustain the heipha/Hycon product lines including contact and settle plates (ICRplus plates) and Agar strips for RCS^® systems which are used in monitoring ambient air and compressed gases.

"We are committed to providing our customers with a reliable supply of products, including Ready-To-Use Media, which this investment in Molsheim will help to ensure," said Udit Batra, President and CEO of Merck Millipore. "Both Molsheim and heipha Eppelheim (Germany) sites will continue to support the increasing demand from our customers. This investment signifies our long-term dedication to Merck Millipore's Lab customers in this region and around the world."

This investment - which leverages Merck Millipore's core-competencies in media development and experience in media production technology - includes the extension of the manufacturing capacity space for RTU Media, a new clean room, and two additional production lines similar to those existing in Eppelheim, where RTU Media will also continue to be manufactured. In addition, current research and development laboratories across various scientific areas of expertise will be centralized to form an Innovation Center to develop solutions for future customer needs.

The increased manufacturing capacity will serve global market demand, and will ensure sufficient capacity to support the market growth. Merck acquired the heipha/Hycon product lines in 2011 as part of its purchase of Biotest AG which expanded the division's offerings in industrial microbiology.

Molsheim has been an important location for Merck Millipore since the facility opened in 1972. Approximately 1,030 employees are based in Molsheim. In addition to ongoing R&D activities, this site manufactures products across Merck Millipore's BioMonitoring, Lab Water, and BioPharm Process Solutions Business Fields.

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