Acies Bio expands fermentation capacity with new 30m³ facility in Slovenia

Acies Bio has announced progress on the expansion of its fermentation capacity in Slovenia, with a new large-scale 30m³ facility set to come online in late 2026 as the company looks to strengthen regional biomanufacturing capabilities.

• Acies Bio is constructing a new 30m³ fermentation facility in Kamnik, Slovenia, with commissioning planned for Q4 2026 and key equipment milestones already completed.
• The expansion adds large-scale fermentation, seed train, and auxiliary systems to support full development from process optimization to industrial deployment.
• The investment aims to improve regional supply resilience and meet growing demand for accessible precision fermentation capacity in Europe.

The European biotechnology company, which specializes in microbial biotechnology and precision fermentation, confirmed that construction of the new facility in Kamnik was progressing on schedule. The site will include a 30m³ production fermentor alongside a new seed train and supporting infrastructure for storage and feeding.

The expansion marked a step change in the company’s ability to support partners across the development pipeline, from early-stage process optimization through to demonstration and industrial-scale production. Once operational, the facility will increase flexibility for contract manufacturing and scale-up services across applications including sustainable biochemicals, agricultural biotechnology, food and nutrition, and specialty biomolecules.

Acies Bio stated that the investment was designed not only to increase capacity but also to strengthen its role within the European bioeconomy. By expanding its regional manufacturing footprint, the company aimed to support more localized production, helping partners reduce supply chain risks and accelerate time-to-market for bio-based products.

Štefan Fujs, Director at Acies Bio, said the expansion would allow the company to better serve customers closer to their end markets.

“The expansion strengthens our ability to support customers with technologically advanced scale-up and contract manufacturing services closer to their markets,” he said. “At the same time, it contributes to building more resilient and sustainable biomanufacturing infrastructure in Europe.”

Demand signals appeared to support the move. Martin Kavšček, Head of Business Development, said early commercial engagement had highlighted a gap in the market for accessible fermentation capacity.

“Early commercial engagement has been strong, showing that growing demand for flexible and regional accessible precision fermentation capabilities in Europe is lacking,” he said.

The new facility formed part of a broader development cycle that began in 2021, when Acies Bio added 6.5 m³ of fermentation capacity to support the scale-up of microbial technologies. The latest expansion is expected to complete that cycle, extending the company’s capabilities toward full contract manufacturing services.

The investment reflected wider industry dynamics, where access to pilot and mid-scale fermentation infrastructure has become a key constraint for companies looking to commercialize bio-based products. By building out its capacity in Slovenia, Acies Bio is seeking to address that bottleneck while positioning itself as a regional partner for precision fermentation scale-up.