SKAN is a leading provider of isolator technology and contamination control solutions for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, specializing in aseptic processing and sterile manufacturing environments.
Thomas, you have been at SKAN for nearly 30 years. What keeps a person in a company for such a long time?
I do not think I have ever had a day where I was bored. There was never a moment where I looked at the clock and wished the day would end; it was always the opposite. Many times, I would look up and realize it was already late, and I had promised my wife I would be home earlier. The work has always been dynamic and engaging. When I started, we were just 42 employees. Now, we are a company of 1,600 people. It has been an exciting journey, always evolving.
Could you briefly outline some key moments that shaped SKAN into what it is today?
The foundation of our main business, isolator technology, began in the 1990s. My former boss decided to invest in this technology early on, and I was brought in to promote it. Unlike traditional stainless-steel manufacturing companies, SKAN’s focus has always been on understanding processes and outsourcing machine production.
A major milestone was in 2000 when we published methods for microbiological validation of isolators. Six years later, in 2006, the FDA cited our validation study in their guidelines, which was a significant achievement. We have always prioritized quality, and while quality comes at a cost, our dedication has allowed us to remain the number one provider in the Western world. Keeping our customers satisfied has been our guiding principle.
What is the typical profile of your customers?
We specialize in isolators for the fill-finish segment, meaning our customers are healthcare companies engaged in aseptic filling. These include major pharma companies such as Pfizer, GSK, Novartis, and Sanofi. However, we are also seeing increasing demand from smaller biotech startups that develop new molecules requiring sterile filling into syringes for human use.
As soon as a product is intended for human injection, regulatory bodies like the FDA impose strict guidelines, making isolators essential for clinical trials and production. This applies from Phase 2 and 3 clinical studies all the way through to large-scale manufacturing.
Given the rapid pace of innovation in life sciences, how have your offerings evolved to match new therapies and treatments?
Isolators offer a far higher sterility assurance level than cleanrooms. The risk of contamination in an isolator is about a thousand times lower than in a cleanroom, making it the safer option for pharmaceutical production. Since patient safety is paramount, isolators have become the industry standard for ensuring the highest levels of sterility.
The isolator is our core product, and it includes an integrated decontamination system. The fundamental function of an isolator is creating an aseptic environment to protect the product from external contamination. In the case of oncological drugs, isolators also serve as a protective barrier for operators handling highly toxic substances.
We reinvest 7–8% of our revenue into R&D. Although isolator technology is about 30 years old, which is relatively young in pharmaceutical terms, there is still substantial room for innovation. We are focused on automating processes and improving the measurement and stability of operations within isolators. Continuous innovation is key to maintaining the highest sterility standards while enhancing efficiency and repeatability.
What is SKAN’s geographic focus?
Our primary market is the Western world, which includes Western Europe and North America. However, we also operate in regions like Japan and Singapore, where demand for high-end pharmaceutical manufacturing technology exists.
We have recently opened an office in Brazil, recognizing it as a growing market. We also sell to India and China, though those markets represent only about 10% of our revenue. Our technology is a premium offering, and because isolators prevent costly batch contamination, they are primarily used by companies producing high-value drugs.
Are you concerned about trade wars and global supply chain instability?
We have been expanding our presence in the U.S., where we now have around 120–130 employees. We are also establishing an assembly site there to serve the North American market more efficiently. This decision was made before the Trump administration, but recent geopolitical trends have reinforced the value of having a local presence.
Interestingly, our main competitors are European companies, so any U.S. tariffs on European imports would affect all of us equally. However, we are already positioned to mitigate risks by being present in key markets.
We are actually benefiting from decentralization. Previously, companies would operate one large aseptic filling facility to supply multiple regions. Since COVID-19 exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains, many companies are now building multiple sites worldwide to ensure redundancy. This shift has increased demand for isolators, as companies seek to establish localized, resilient production capabilities.
What is the biggest challenge SKAN faces today?
Our biggest challenge is managing growth. The market is expanding, and SKAN has been growing for years. Scaling up means ensuring that new employees are properly trained and that institutional knowledge is transferred effectively.
When we were a smaller company, it was easy to know who had the answers to specific questions. As we have grown, new employees do not always know where to turn for information. Maintaining quality while expanding is our primary challenge, and we are continuously working to address it.
Where do you see SKAN at the end of the decade?
It is not a question of where I would like to see us—I can tell you where we will be. We will still be the market leader, providing isolators worldwide. The market is expected to continue growing at its current pace, and we are prepared for another five years of expansion.
We remain committed to innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction. As the industry evolves, so will SKAN, ensuring that we stay ahead in delivering the best solutions for pharmaceutical manufacturing.
