Business Spotlight: ABER Instruments

ABER Instruments, based in Aberystwyth, is a pioneering company specialising in advanced biomass monitoring technology. 

ABER Instruments joined the GlobalWelsh for Business Programme in 2024 to strengthen international connections, support global expansion efforts, and uncover new growth opportunities. We caught up with Emma Thomas, Human Resources Director, and Jacob Cunningham, Business Strategy & Innovation Lead, at ABER Instruments to discuss the company's innovative technologies and its evolution over the years.

Tell us about ABER Instruments.

Jacob: ABER Instruments was founded in the late 1980s as a spin-out from Aberystwyth University and the Centre for Alternative Technologies. The company was born out of a need for innovation in the monitoring of cell growth and the desire to move towards automated measurements and analytics, away from traditional manual techniques. Through the collaboration of engineers and the sharing of expertise, we developed a unique method using radio frequency signals to do just that.

Jacob: That breakthrough became patented technology, and with the support of SMART grants and awards, we developed the first generation of our product right here in mid-Wales at the Centre for Alternative Technologies, initially focused on providing measurements for the brewing industry. Since then, we’ve grown significantly and now work with biotech and biopharmaceutical companies all over the world.

Emma: A defining part of our journey is our ethos. Our founders believed strongly in creating a company rooted in shared values and collective responsibility. As a result, we launched our employee ownership journey in the early 2000s and became fully employee-owned by 2012. That spirit of ownership and collaboration remains at the heart of everything we do.

What makes your technology unique compared to other solutions in the market?

Emma: We were the first to develop and commercialise capacitance-based biomass monitoring - no one had used this measurement before us, ABER invented and patented the measurement principle. Capacitance-based biomass monitoring measures viable cell density in real time by detecting capacitance changes, providing continuous, in-situ data on cell concentration and eliminating the need for offline sampling. One of our original inventors is still with the company, and over the years, we’ve continuously worked to refine this complex technology. As the inventors of the technology, we have developed expertise over 37 years of business, allowing ABER to create technology which performs better, more consistently, and with higher quality than alternatives.

Emma: Beyond the tech, our company culture sets us apart. We’re known for being solutions-focused and customer-centric. A few years ago, we also acquired a diversified Optical IP from California, whose technology we redeveloped during COVID. That has since become commercially successful, thanks to our team’s expertise.

What does being an expert in biomass monitoring actually mean?

Jacob: Biomass monitoring means measuring the growth of cells in a bioreactor. In brewing, that’s typically yeast cells producing alcohol. In biopharma, it’s cells producing insulin or antibodies, for example, we invented online capacitance technology, the first to monitor biomass in real time. With our acquisition of cell density measurement technologies, we've expanded and solidified our position as experts in this field.

The biopharma industry is evolving quickly. How do you stay ahead of the curve?

Emma: We invest heavily in R&D and are committed to continuous improvement. For example, we’ve responded to the industry's shift toward single-use technologies - traditionally, our products were reusable up to 200 times, but we’ve had to innovate to meet new demands.b We also gather ongoing feedback from customers to guide our product development. 

Jacob: Additionally, we're working to diversify our revenue streams so we’re not solely reliant on biopharma. That includes entering new markets and product areas to stay future-proof.

What has been ABER Instruments' biggest milestone so far?

Emma: There have been many, but a few stand out! Becoming fully employee-owned was a huge milestone, as was our significant growth over the past six years. While we’re incredibly proud of our technology, we’re even more proud of who we are as a company, creating meaningful jobs in an area that doesn’t always have such opportunities.

Jacob: Another key achievement was opening our US office in 2017. This move not only helped us establish a footprint in the US market but also supported our global expansion and allowed us to share our unique business approach and values internationally. Also, the formation of the ABER Group is preparing us for future growth by allowing us to develop new subsidiaries.

Why did you join GlobalWelsh, and how can we support your journey?

Emma: We joined through the ARFOR programme, which gave us the opportunity to explore the network and understand its potential. As an international company, we're always looking to expand our connections and discover new opportunities. As a proud Welsh company, GlobalWelsh, with its international reach, plays a crucial role in helping businesses, like ours, build valuable relationships and open doors across key markets, and we love being part of that.

What does the future look like for ABER Instruments?

Emma: We remain ambitious. Aside from developing our core business and markets, our primary focus right now is on expanding the ABER Group, adding new subsidiaries and tapping into new markets. Developing the Asia-Pacific region is a key strategic priority for us, along with strengthening our position in the global biotech and biopharma sectors.

Jacob: We’re also committed to diversifying our offerings to reduce reliance on any single market. Alongside this, we aim to continue growing our team and making a positive impact on our local community. Ultimately, our ambition is to build a sustainable organisation that will thrive in Aberystwyth for the next 100 years, creating long-term value along the way.

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