Facility visibility matters for process decisions

Evaluating manufacturability and scale readiness without direct site visibility presents a practical challenge for process scientists, developers, and engineers. Decisions around material selection, format compatibility, and supply continuity depend on understanding not just what a site produces, but how it operates: the equipment configurations, quality systems, and process controls that govern day-to-day manufacturing.

 

Bioprocess facility visibility can inform decisions across development and production workflows. Visibility connects the physical manufacturing environment to the operational and quality context that process teams need to assess risk, anticipate constraints, and plan for scale.


Explore cell culture media manufacturing environments

Thermo Fisher Scientific's global cell culture media manufacturing facilities are available for immersive 360-degree virtual tours, giving visibility to the environments where Gibco media are produced. Each facility tour allows teams to explore manufacturing suites, equipment configurations, and site-specific capabilities.

Grand Island, New York

Dry powder media (DPM) and liquid cell culture media manufacturing at the Grand Island, NY site includes advanced granulation technology (AGT) and animal origin-free (AOF) formats. Pilot labs, Gibco Rapid Prototyping Services, and analytical services enable production readiness.


Facility highlights:

  • Media, reagents, sera
  • Media and analytical services
  • Pilot labs, Gibco Rapid Prototyping Services
  • ISO 13485, 21 CFR 820
  • FDA registered
  • Powder manufacturing: Dry powder media (DPM), Gibco Advanced Granulation Technology (AGT) media
  • Liquid manufacturing: Cell culture media, Supplements

Paisley, Scotland

The Paisley, Scotland site covers dry powder and liquid media production, including AOF options. Operations align with harmonized manufacturing processes and quality systems across the global network.


Facility highlights:

  • Media, reagents, sera
  • ISO 13485, 21 CFR 820
  • FDA registered
  • Powder manufacturing: AGT media, DPM and animal origin-free (AOF) DPM
  • Liquid manufacturing: Cell culture media, Sera, Supplements

Miami, Florida

The Miami manufacturing facility produces dry powder media and peptone supplements. AOF status and ISO 9001 certification address sourcing documentation and risk mitigation requirements.


Facility highlights:

  • Media, reagents
  • Animal origin-free (AOF) facility
  • ISO 9001
  • Powder manufacturing: Peptone supplements, Dry powder media (DPM)
  • Liquid manufacturing: Cell culture media, Supplements

Baltimore, Maryland

Gibco Media by Design Services, bioreactor and analytical chemistry labs, and Gibco Rapid Prototyping Services are offered in the Baltimore location. Optimize process development from research to manufacturing.


Facility highlights:

  • Cell culture lab
  • Pilot labs, Gibco Rapid Prototyping Services
  • Analytical chemistry lab
  • Bioreactor lab
  • Non-cGMP cell culture media

Manufacturing site equivalency across global facilities

Virtual bioprocess tours offer context for understanding how manufacturing site equivalency is achieved across Thermo Fisher's global network. Site equivalency is built on the alignment of core elements, including raw materials, procedures, equipment, testing protocols, and quality systems, across manufacturing locations.

Supporting continuity across development and production

As bioprocessing programs move from early development to commercial manufacturing, maintaining workflow continuity depends on integrating supply chain considerations early on.

 

Global manufacturing facilities are designed to support this continuity through harmonized operational processes, aligned quality systems, and coordinated planning across sites.

Manufacturing environments designed for risk reduction

Facility design, operational alignment, and manufacturing practices contribute to risk reduction across global bioprocessing operations. Multiple manufacturing sites within a connected, harmonized network help reduce dependence on a single location, while aligned processes and quality systems support consistent outcomes across sites.

Using facility insight to plan for scale and transfer

Facility visibility can help process scientists and engineers anticipate the requirements for scale-up and technology transfer before formal planning begins. Understanding equipment configurations, production-format capabilities, and site-specific constraints in a manufacturing environment enables process teams to evaluate compatibility with development-stage processes earlier in program timelines.

 

For technology transfer leads and MSAT teams, reviewing manufacturing environments, including pilot lab capabilities, liquid and powder manufacturing suites, and quality systems, can inform scale-up strategies and reduce surprises during site qualification.

For Research Use or Further Manufacturing. Not for diagnostic use or direct administration into humans or animals.