May 15, 2014 (Vol. 34, No. 10)

Gail Dutton

Newly Founded Infors USA Preserves Existing Contacts, Promises Closer Ties

Infors USA opened its offices in the United States January 2014, building upon an existing, 15-year-old distribution network in the country. In establishing this outpost, Infors USA intends to extend the reach of its well-established Swiss parent company, Infors HT, a provider of bioprocess controls, shakers, and bioreactors to clients throughout the world.

“We have been present in the United States for many years through our former distributor,” Simon Egli, CEO, says, “so we are starting from a strong foundation.” In January, Infors HT absorbed the portion of its former U.S. distributor that was dedicated to Infors HT sales including its production site and a team of 19 experienced employees.

“They did a good job,” Egli says, but the company wanted a more direct connection to its clients. “We bought out the entire sales force, so we have the same people, the same locations, and the same customer data base.” By retaining these elements, Infors USA should ensure continuity for its customers.

Besides continuity, Infors USA customers will now enjoy direct access to the company. This increases responsiveness and streamlines collaborations and custom design projects, and makes it easier for Infors USA to get direct customer feedback.

That feedback is important because it contributes to the culture of innovation that permeates Infors HT. The company philosophy is underpinned by what it calls, on its website, “the seven ‘i’s: ideas, innovations, improvisation, individuality, intuition, inspiration and, not least, a little bit of irrationality.”

Inclusion of the word “irrationality” may seem odd. However, as Egli elaborates, “The most obvious solutions are not always the best. We try to look at issues from different angles to find better solutions.”

Creative approaches to problem-solving are prized. “Our employees have strong backgrounds in science,” Egli declare. “They have faced many of our customers’ challenges themselves, at a scientific level.” Sales staff all have lab backgrounds. That experience helps Infors HT understand not only customers’ challenges, but also the thinking processes they use to address those challenges.

As biotech applications expand, those challenges continue to grow. Infors HT products are used in pharmaceutical development and also in biofuels development. “We see a big trend in second- and third-generation biofuels,” Egli says, although it currently is a niche market.

Opportunities are also emerging in medicine. “There is a growing trend toward more integrated solutions that help users plan experiments from conception to data interpretation,” notes Egli. “We are focusing on that.”


Infors HT provides shakers, incubator shakers, and bioreactors. In addition to solid-state and pilot bioreactors, the company offers benchtop devices that are primarily designed for research and small-scale production.

Recent Releases

One of Infors HT’s newest releases is the Iris 6 SCADA software application for bioprocess control of bioreactors and incubation shakers. The latest version of the Iris family, it offers easy navigation, quick access to bioreactor settings and graphics displays to streamline data interpretation, as well as the ability to annotate online graphics during fermentation and to timestamp samples.

This application provides control strategies from the shake flask to pilot production. Other advanced features enable users to accomplish, among other things, the consolidation of calculated and analyzed process parameters into one record.

Another recent release, the Celltron shaker, resolves the issues that are closely associated with CO2 incubators. Drawing only 4 watts of power, this small shaker transfers virtually no heat into the incubator. That, combined with a watertight seal and external operating panel, resolves the challenges of high humidity and corrosive conditions inside shakers for these incubators. An antimicrobial service assures aseptic conditions for optimal cell growth.

Quality and Innovation

That commitment to quality begins internally with adherence to international quality standards, including the SN EN ISO 9001:2008 standard, as well as the personal efforts of the Infors HT team. “Standing still equates to retrogression,” company literature points out.

At, Infors HT, the pursuit of quality is even integrated with innovation efforts and relationship building. “We don’t just sell and leave,” Egli points out. Instead, Infors HT tracks each product throughout its service life. The company analyzes this information and uses it to make continual improvements based upon real-world usage and the changing needs of its clients. The company is engaged in the continuous search for solutions to new specifications.

This determination to find new solutions was a driving force in enabling this small-to-medium sized, family-owned corporation to retain its independence and grow. Infors  HT was formed in 1965 by Alexander Hawrylenko to develop blood-transfer pumps. Since then, it has grown steadily, introducing new products at increasingly frequent intervals and expanding geographically.

Infors USA

Location: P.O. Box 1380, Laurel, MD 20725
Phone: (301) 362-3710
Website: www.infors-ht.us, www.infors-ht.com
Principal: Simon Egli, CEO
Number of Employees: 19
Focus: Infors HT develops and manufactures bioprocess controllers, shakers, and lab equipment for the biotech industry, building on its reputation of high quality, flexibility, and collaboration with its customers.

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