Only three years old, Sepmag Tecnologies, which develops, manufactures and markets magnetophoresis equipment at the Vallès Technology Park, has opened a new branch in one of the most emblematic buildings in downtown Atlanta (Georgia, USA), 191 Peachtree Tower. This center represents the company’s first expansion and another stage in its globalization plan to increase its presence in the North American market. Sepmag’s sales in 2008 were distributed as follows: 68% in Europe (not counting Spain), 16% in Spain, and 16% between Japan and the USA.
The choice of location was chiefly based on two factors: the State of Georgia’s active commitment to biotechnology, and Atlanta’s position as a major air travel hub, with direct flights to Barcelona and to nearly every major North American airport. Moreover, last year Sepmag participated in the biotec world trade show in Atlanta, as part of the delegation of companies coordinated by Biocat. It was during this event that Sepmag’s management began establishing contacts for their expansion into the USA.
The American branch (Sepmag Technologies, LLC) has hired local support staff as well as two business development managers from the magnetic particles sector (these particles are the disposable material used in the magnetophoresis equipment developed by the company).
Sepmag’s devices are designed to accelerate and scale up purification and separation of biotechnology materials to reduce the time and the number of steps involved in these processes, and consequently, to offer enable increased productivity with smaller initial investments.
Founded in 2007, the company is partly financed by Inveready Seed Capital, and has received funding from ENISA and the CDTI’s NEOTEC program.