Our equipments

How is ARD’s equipment a real asset?

In order to meet its customers' varied needs, ARD has acquired a wide range of cutting-edge industrial-scale equipment. From the laboratory to industrial trials via pilot plants, ARD can make available all the production equipment project sponsors need to produce innovative molecules and products, whether it be for small quantities, pre-production runs, or the first industrial batches. Moreover, ARD has a network of equipment manufacturers that enables it to access equipment for rent when ARD is at full capacity.

At laboratory scale

ARD's core business consists in helping companies scale up their production projects. For this, ARD can rely on both its research infrastructure and its modular production facilities, as well as recognised technical expertise in the fields of white biotechnologies, green chemistry, plant extraction, and the environment.
Once the microbiological stage is complete, ARD has several sizes of fermenters (2 litres, 5 litres, 30 litres, and 150 litres), which enables it to test product quality at each stage by producing just a few grammes.

At pilot scale

Located in a 2,000 m² platform, pilot equipment allows us to test processes designed in the laboratory for volumes of 2 m³ or more.
In order to determine the most efficient production line and process, mobile equipment can be used in the pilot plant, making it possible to test many different combinations of unit operations.
Evaporateurs, cristalliseurs, centrifuges as well as electrodialysis and ion exchange, at pilot stage, ARD has fermenters of between 2 and 10 m³ and enamelled chemical reactors in an Atex zone with capacities of 1 m3, 2 m3, 4 m3 and 9 m3. ARD's industrial purification equipment, combined with its recognised technical expertise, enables it to develop innovative processes that can then be scaled up.

BioDémo, the demonstration plant

BioDémo's purpose is to prove the technical feasibility and the viability of bio-technological processes at industrial scale.
To do this, ARD makes unique production equipment available to its customers, including 180 to 350 m3 fermenters that can be used to make the first production runs.