Visites d'entreprises
(From left to right) Richard Fry, managing director, Cellon and Carlo Thelen, director general, Chamber of Commerce Cellon is a rapidly growing company established in 1987 to provide products and services to the vaccine production and bioprocessing indus

Cellon is a rapidly growing company established in 1987 to provide products and services to the vaccine production and bioprocessing industries.

In 2010, Cellon built a state of the art production facility to manufacture high-quality single-use disposable bottles and carboys. Cellon's PharmaTainerTM brand bottles and carboys are now recognised as the leading brand of rigid wall container systems for the shipping and storage of bulk bioprocess materials available in the market.

Cellon's areas of expertise include mammalian cell culture processes and the storage and transport of sterile liquids. The success of the company to-date has been built upon an understanding of the requirements of this demanding business sector, which has led to the formation of many collaborative relationships with customers. Such partnerships have enabled Cellon to develop a range of products to meet specific industry needs - in unique, often revolutionary, ways.

In December 2019, Cellon was acquired by the 3i investment group to form a key part of its new single-use bioprocessing platform (CTS) to service the bioprocess and vaccine market worldwide. Today, 53 people work in Cellon Luxembourg and 174 (CTS) worldwide. Cellon Luxembourg has a turnover of 9 EUR million (2019).

Interview with Richard Fry, Managing Director, Cellon.

What projects are you currently working on?

Cellon is very fortunate to work with many of the leading biopharma companies in the world. As such, we are never far away from the next new and exciting project that could have significant healthcare benefits for people around the world. However, right now we are heavily involved with the design and manufacture of single-use systems being used by a number of the companies leading the development of vaccine candidates for the COVID-19 virus.

What successes are you particularly proud of?

This is hard to say, we have come a long way over the last thirty or so years and in the last 10 in particular we have developed a great product and have a great team at Cellon, who produce the best products in their field on a daily basis. Of this, we are all very proud. However, at this time in particular, if we can play a part in the battle against COVID-19 and help in the production of a vaccine, that would be pretty hard to beat in terms of a career high.

The last time you had a doubt?

I cannot remember a day when I didn't have doubts! Manufacturing the sort of products we do, that are used in the production of the manufacture of therapeutic drugs and vaccines, we are always challenging and questioning ourselves as to how we could design better new products and or better manufacture existing ones.

What does it mean for you to have an entrepreneurial spirit?

For me, an entrepreneurial spirit is being open and awake to see the challenges that we have every day as a potential opportunity. An opportunity to do things differently, to make changes, to challenge the status quo and to make a difference.

Text: Cellon / Coinne Briault - Photos: Laurent Antonelli / Agence Blitz