In Beauvais, Elcimaï is modernizing Biocodex’s historic production facility
A long-standing partner of Biocodex, Elcimaï has just completed the expansion of its historic production site in Beauvais (60), marking a new milestone in the ambitious master plan it has developed for the pharmaceutical company.
Biocodex is a family-owned pharmaceutical company that, after being one of the French pioneers in microbiota research in the 1950s, is now a global player, thanks to the diversification of its product portfolio and the expansion of its geographic presence.
Since 1968, Biocodex has operated a 9-hectare production and logistics center in Beauvais. Initially dedicated to manufacturing Biocodex’s probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745®, the plant has been progressively modernized to meet growing demand and support the company’s expansion. Since 2005, Biocodex has accelerated this process and invested in cutting-edge technologies and equipment.
The Beauvais plant, whose logistics platform spans 6,000 m², oversees the entire production process for 90 million boxes of medication each year, through to their shipment to more than 120 countries. It employs 300 people.
A 10-year master plan developed by Elcimaï
In 2017, with the support of Elcimaï and its expertise in the pharmaceutical industry, Biocodex took a decisive step by installing one of the world’s largest freeze-drying platforms in its sector at its Beauvais site. This installation was a true technical feat, as it was completed without interrupting a single day of production.
This crucial step was part of a 10-year master plan developed by Elcimaï. It followed the 2010 delivery of a temperature-controlled warehouse and an administrative building, constructed under a real estate development contract (CPI). Elcimaï’s teams had also redesigned the area surrounding the site entrance, then demolished and rebuilt the building where the active ingredient is prepared. The next phase focused on security. The guardhouse, dedicated to monitoring this building and controlling vehicle traffic, was redesigned and equipped with a particularly innovative system.
The project then included the expansion of the temperature-controlled warehouse (positive cold), followed by the reorganization of the southern access, an opportunity to lighten its massive concrete appearance by enriching it with green spaces.
The next phase focused on the northern development, where parking capacity was doubled and the access point was redesigned to distinguish between unrestricted access and access requiring authorization. From this stage onward, Biocodex was able to anticipate employee well-being needs by paying particular attention to staff access, locker rooms, and break rooms, as well as the creation of a staff cafeteria.
Finally, the technical facilities were consolidated into a single location, equipped with sprinklers, and brought up to environmental standards.
A new extension and a site 90 % renovated
In accordance with the master plan, Elcimaï has just delivered a new 400 m² extension designed to house two additional freeze dryers for drying moist materials.
The architectural approach adopted for previous building permits aimed to create a modern and understated site, using clean lines and high-quality materials. Following this guiding principle, Elcimaï sought to preserve the simplicity and purity of these volumes located near the main office entrance in the design of the extensions, in order to maintain the same spatial perception : a volume of very pure white, standing out against a background of gray cladding and contrasting with the entrance in Biocodex’s colors. Thus, the facades of the new structures were treated in the same way as the structures they cover, in order to preserve the dynamic effect created by the contrast between these colors.
“Thanks to this new extension, which also provides additional space for future needs, the site is now 90 % renovated and can meet the modernization requirements essential to the company’s development,” confirms Carlos Cuellar-Duarte, project manager at Elcimaï Ingénierie. “We also see this as the culmination of an ambitious industrial plan and a sign of a long-standing, trusting professional relationship with Biocodex.”
“This new expansion allows us to respond with greater flexibility and efficiency to the growing needs of our international markets, while maintaining the highest standards of quality and safety,” explains Edouard Loiseau, Vice President of Industrial Affairs and Supply Chain at Biocodex. “The project, designed and completed in record time by Elcimaï in collaboration with our internal teams—without interrupting production activities—strengthens the relationship of trust established between our companies.”