The Merck Millipore division has a broad product and technology portfolio and offers innovative solutions for the life science industry. Life science comprises the research branches of natural and engineering sciences concerned with the structure and behavior of living organisms. The division’s products and services are used in the research, development and manufacture of biotechnological and pharmaceutical drug therapies, and for general laboratory applications. The division was established in 2010 following the acquisition of the Millipore Corporation. It is a leading supplier of life science tools.
In 2013, Merck Millipore contributed 25% to Group sales and 18% to EBITDA pre (excluding Corporate and Other). The majority of sales are generated by consumables. This enables the division to achieve recurring sales and stable, attractive cash flows. A highly diversified and loyal customer base additionally ensures a low risk profile. At the same time, Merck Millipore benefits from its broad portfolio and its global reach.
Merck Millipore comprises three business units: Bioscience, Lab Solutions and Process Solutions. The main product groups of the Bioscience business unit include tools and consumables for filtration and sample preparation, reagents and kits for cell biology experiments, as well as small tools and consumables for cell analysis. With these products, Merck Millipore supports its customers in understanding complex biological systems and identifying new target molecules. The Bioscience business unit contributed 16% to divisional sales in 2013. Merck Millipore offers complete and validated applications to make research processes faster and more efficient. The Bioscience business unit is highly innovative. A solid proportion of annual sales are achieved with new products. Examples include the Muse™ cell analysis system and the Direct Detect™ biomolecular quantification system. In 2013, these products were recognized with numerous innovation awards (for example, the R&D Magazine 100 Award).
The Lab Solutions business unit manufactures products for research as well as analytical and clinical laboratories in a wide variety of industries. The business unit accounts for 42% of divisional sales. It is one of the leading suppliers of laboratory water equipment, laboratory chemicals and consumables. In addition, Lab Solutions develops and markets test solutions to identify microbial contamination, for example in pharmaceutical products, food or drinking water. For inorganic chemistry, Lab Solutions supplies ultrapure reagents, including salts, acids, caustic alkalis, and buffering agents. It also manufactures reference materials for instrumental analysis and products for inorganic trace analysis.
The Process Solutions business unit offers a diversity of products to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies that enable customers to develop large- and small-molecule drugs safely, effectively and cost-efficiently. Accounting for 42% of Merck Millipore sales, Process Solutions offers its customers continuous innovations, highest quality standards as well as high reliability of supply, and is growing faster than the competition.
In addition, the business unit’s portfolio comprises more than 400 chemicals for the synthesis of active pharmaceutical ingredients as well as drug delivery compounds. The offering in biotech production comprises products supporting cell growth and gene expression, a wide range of filtration systems, as well as salts and sugars. The single-use solutions offered by the Process Solutions business unit provide increased operational flexibility to biopharmaceutical customers since they eliminate time- and cost-intensive cleaning procedures. Moreover, these single-use solutions are compatible with various products, reducing investment costs for the customer.