SAFC Expands Continuous Flow Capabilities for Research and Commercial Scale

ST. LOUIS, May 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Sigma-Aldrich Corporation SIAL today announced that SAFC^® Commercial (www.sigma-aldrich.com/safc), its custom manufacturing services business unit, has installed a new commercial-scale continuous flow reactor at its Sheboygan, Wis., facility with capacity to produce up to 150 kg of product per day. Now fully operational, the reactor is complemented by a smaller pilot-scale continuous flow reactor that is being fabricated at the nearby Milwaukee, Wis., facility to carry out process optimization studies and manufacturing capability of up to 30 kg of product per day.

"SAFC has invested in making these unique capabilities available to give customers access to products synthesized through reactions that were previously impractical or impossible to do with a conventional batch platform," said Andreas Weiler, Director of Global Strategic Marketing for SAFC. "The reactors will allow SAFC to develop or scale up flow reactions for customers, eliminating the need for customers to install in-house flow capacity, saving them a great deal of money, space and time. This is also a much greener technology and substantially reduces the amount of chemicals and solvents employed in reactions."

Continuous flow manufacturing is a lean manufacturing platform that provides customers access to as little or as much of a product as needed. The nature of this technique offers safer, seamless scale-up of a wider array of reactions compared to the batch platform. Additionally, this technique may aid customers in achieving process control, while helping to eliminate batch failures and minimize risks associated with handling hazardous chemicals.

The continuous flow reactor in Sheboygan, Wis., is currently online and SAFC is taking inquiries. Both of these reactors are supported by a multitude of research reactors located in the US and EU that provide support to customers from research to commercialization. To learn more about SAFC's continuous flow offer, visit: www.sigmaaldrich.com/safc-flowchemistry.

About SAFC: SAFC Commercial, the custom manufacturing and services business unit of Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, is recognized as a top 10 global specialty chemicals and biologics supplier. As a trusted manufacturer for the life science and high-technology industries, SAFC works closely with customers to resolve development challenges and accelerate the product pipeline using its global "Centers of Excellence" and dedicated manufacturing facilities. Its rich portfolio includes high-purity inorganic materials for high-technology applications, critical raw materials and extensive biologics safety testing services for biopharmaceutical manufacturing, and complex, high-potent APIs and key intermediates for pharmaceutical manufacturing. For more information, visit www.sigma-aldrich.com/safc.

About Sigma-Aldrich: Sigma-Aldrich, a leading life science and high-technology company focused on enhancing human health and safety, manufactures and distributes 230,000 chemicals, biochemicals and other essential products to more than 1.4 million customers globally in research and applied labs as well as in industrial and commercial markets. With three distinct business units – Research, Applied and SAFC Commercial – Sigma-Aldrich is committed to enabling science to improve the quality of life. The Company operates in 37 countries, has more than 9,000 employees worldwide and had sales of $2.7 billion in 2013. For more information about Sigma-Aldrich, please visit its website at www.sigma-aldrich.com.

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SOURCE Sigma-Aldrich Corporation