Roowin Transfers its Operations to Riom
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Roowin SA has announced that it has moved into new premises in Riom, near Clermont-Ferrand, in the Auvergne region.
The move will strengthen Roowin’s position as one of the few companies in France that offers a comprehensive range of services, from early-stage research to the production of GMP batches for phase I and II clinical trials. This relocation also represents a new milestone in the company’s development.
The company is moving into 1,500 square metres of premises at Riom-La Varenne that are currently owned by Schering-Plough. They include laboratories complying with regulatory GLP (good laboratory practice) and GMP (good manufacturing practice) standards, as well as offices and warehousing.
These facilities have 50 per cent more space than Roowin’s old premises and incorporate cutting-edge equipment that will enable the company to increase the quantities that can be produced and offer an even higher quality of the services it provides to its clients.
The new equipment from which its clients will benefit includes an LC/NMR 500 MHz machine combining liquid chromatography with nuclear magnetic resonance for more rapid and accurate screening.
Only a few laboratories in France have access to this technology. In addition, Roowin is now equipped with ultra-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS) instruments, infrared equipment, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technology.
In the area of synthesis, Roowin can now undertake low-temperature work as the result of acquiring a liquid nitrogen unit operating at minus 80C.
The move is being welcomed by local authorities. “Keeping industrial activities going at the Schering-Plough site in La Varenne is a priority for Riom town council, the regional development office of the department of Puy de Dome, the Clermont-Ferrand Community, and the Community of District Councils of Limagne-D’Ennezat, one of the founder members of the future joint Biopole Clermont Limagne association,” explained Herve Prevoteau, director of the Clermont Limagne biocluster.
“Roowin is a large independent firm in the fine chemistry sector, and we are going to help it grow still further to our mutual benefit in terms of job and wealth creation. It will find its full place in the pharmaceutical industry of the Auvergne region.”
“It was hard to find a place that corresponded to all our technical needs,” said Patrice Rool, the chairman of Roowin. “That is why we are delighted to be moving to Riom, which offers all the advantages we were looking for. We are planning to develop our activities further and in particular to invest in additional clean rooms.”
Roowin began the move into its new premises on May 1. The operation is being spread over two months to ensure continuity of service to the company’s clientele.
