Charles River Expands Global Microbial Solutions Operations
Charles River Laboratories has announced new investments across its global Microbial Solutions business to increase manufacturing capacity, improve customer support and strengthen sustainability efforts. The initiatives cover facilities and operations in Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America, aiming to better support pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies.
The investments are designed to improve the supply of products used in microbial testing, speed up equipment servicing and make laboratory operations more environmentally friendly.
Expanding Manufacturing Capacity in Ireland
As part of the expansion, Charles River has increased its manufacturing capabilities for Endosafe® Accessories glassware at its facility in Dublin, Ireland. The company has introduced a dedicated production suite with automated processes to improve manufacturing efficiency, product consistency and quality control.
The expansion will also help reduce manual handling and strengthen the supply of endotoxin testing products for customers in Europe and other global markets.
So far, 12 accessory glassware formats have been successfully transferred to the Dublin facility and are already being manufactured there.
The site also includes a dedicated depyrogenation suite with three validated ovens. These ovens are designed to remove endotoxins from glassware before it undergoes sterile processing. The investment has also created new employment opportunities in the region.
Endotoxin testing is an important part of pharmaceutical manufacturing, particularly for products that must meet strict safety standards before reaching patients.
New Instrument Service Depot in South Korea
Charles River has also strengthened its customer support network in Asia-Pacific by opening a new Instrument Service Depot in South Korea.
The facility will act as a central hub for complex instrument repairs and maintenance. It is expected to reduce service turnaround times and provide customers with faster access to technical support.
The depot will directly support customers in South Korea, Australia, Singapore, India and China, while also serving other markets across the Asia-Pacific region through the company’s distribution partners.
According to Matthew Hewitt, Corporate Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Manufacturing at Charles River, the new facility will help customers maintain equipment performance and reduce downtime through faster access to specialised services.
Advancing Sustainable Laboratory Practices
Alongside manufacturing and customer support improvements, Charles River is expanding its sustainability initiatives across its laboratory network.
The company’s Celsis® Application Laboratory in Charleston, South Carolina, has achieved Gold-Level Certification from My Green Lab, an internationally recognised programme that promotes environmentally responsible laboratory practices.
The certification recognises efforts to reduce energy and water consumption, limit waste and improve the overall environmental performance of laboratory operations.
Charles River is also encouraging additional laboratories in Germany, France, Ireland and the United States to pursue My Green Lab certification.
According to the company’s programme dashboard, participating and certified laboratories have collectively achieved several environmental benefits, including:
- More than 584,000 kWh in annual energy savings.
- Approximately 1.4 million litres of annual water savings.
- An estimated reduction of 306 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
- Lower laboratory waste and chemical consumption.
Supporting Pharmaceutical Quality Control
Kerstin Dolph, Corporate Senior Vice President of Global Manufacturing at Charles River, said the investments reflect the company’s commitment to improving manufacturing capabilities, customer support and long-term sustainability.
The company’s Microbial Solutions business provides products and services that help pharmaceutical, biotechnology, cell and gene therapy, and medical device manufacturers maintain quality control during production.
These services play an important role in identifying microbial contamination and ensuring products meet required safety and quality standards.
Through its latest investments, Charles River aims to build a more connected global network that can support customers throughout the manufacturing process.
The expansion highlights the growing importance of reliable microbial testing, efficient laboratory services and sustainable manufacturing practices as the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries continue to develop new therapies.