“We have experienced constant growth in the past decade. And despite the fact that we are still a comparatively small company in the pharmaceutical world, we have implemented some key services that are well sought-after by pharmaceutical as well as cosmetics companies,” points out Managing Director Dr. Wolfgang Petersen, who founded UNA GmbH in 1990 before it grew into UNA-Synth by 2000. “At first, we operated a pure test laboratory for pharmaceutical raw materials. But we set out to build up our own range of products and services, and gradually we have shifted the focus to the area of chemical synthesis. We develop niche products adapted for modern synthesis processes.”
Apart from a wide range of chemical operations, UNA-Synth takes on upscaling from laboratory or small-scale productions to serialized industrial production.
“Currently, we are involved in the production of pharmaceutical active substances. Simultaneously, we focus on substances that work as auxiliary materials in food and drinking water, for instance, in order to reduce the chlorine content in water,” points out Dr. Petersen. “Pharma, food, potable water and cosmetics have become our key segments.”
Due to its strongly increasing order volume, UNA-Synth has been forced to invest in new premises, which will go into operation later this year. In Kaltenkirchen, a new state-of-the-art production site of 1,700 m2 is being built for 2.64 million EUR. “We will have enough space even for future expansion. By 2016, our offices will be located at the new site,” states Dr. Petersen. “We plan to increase the number of staff by 30%. At the moment, we employ ten people.”
UNA-Synth concentrates on the production of one single product for each customer. “This gives the customer the opportunity to fully focus on his core competences. We follow a committed equipment strategy and are fully equipped with top-notch production tools. Likewise, we offer total in-house engineering,” adds Dr. Petersen.
The pharmaceutical industry accounts for 50% of the company’s production volume, with UNA-Synth serving companies like URSAPHARM in Saarbrücken and Phyton-Biotech in Ahrensburg, amongst others. “This market is not subject to grave changes, and crowding out is not significant,” says Dr. Petersen. UNA-Synth is not going to invest in the consumer market itself; rather, it is going to focus on mutual and long-standing cooperations that seem to appreciate the company’s growth in terms of know-how, sales volume and profits.