Custom OEM bioprocess equipment, automation and validation for biotech and biopharma – from 2L bioreactors to 2000L fermenters.
AES Automated Engineering Services, Inc.
Vista, CA (USA) · Broomfield, CO (USA) · Zofingen (CH) · Ried (DE) · Søborg (DK) · London (GB) · Ennis (IE) · Saint-Lambert (CA) · Mixco (GT) · Pune (IN) · Singapore (SG)New on Amplifa
About AES
AES (Automated Engineering Services, Inc.) is a US engineering and manufacturing service provider for the biotechnology and biopharmaceutical industries. The company manufactures custom OEM bioprocess equipment such as bioreactors, fermenters (2 L to 2000 L), single-use mixers (BioMix, 50–3000 L), rocking bioreactors, TFF and chromatography skids, aseptic filling systems (OptiFill) and liquid handling units – primarily in Oceanside and Vista, California. The designs follow ISA-88 and can meet GMP, CE, UL and 21 CFR Part 11 requirements. In addition to manufacturing, AES offers automation and integration (DCS, PLC, MES), CQV services, staffing for biotech engineers, and aftermarket services including SAT/FAT, maintenance and 24/7 support. Customers come from antibody/protein production, vaccine, cell and gene therapy, cell-based food manufacturing, and CMO/CDMO environments. After its founding in 2014 in Oceanside, CA, AES is represented with twelve offices worldwide, including a location in Zofingen, Switzerland since 2019.
- Site
- Vista, CA, USA
- Processes
- Custom OEM Bioprocess Equipment Design & Fabrication (2L bioreactors to 2000L fermenters), Automation & Integration (DCS, PLC, MES, Hardware Architecture, Instrumentation, Process Control), Commissioning, Qualification & Validation (CQV), SAT/FAT, Software Validation, Aftermarket Services (Repair, Troubleshooting, Preventative Maintenance, Spare Parts Management), Biotech Staffing Services (Automation, Process Engineering, Validation), Single-Use Mixing (BioMix SUM: media/buffer preparation, formulation, fill/finish), Aseptic Filling (OptiFill), Chromatography (Benchtop Unit, Single-Use Large Scale Skid)
- Materials
- BioMix Single-Use Mixer, Benchtop Bioprocess Controller, Liquid Handling Unit, Aseptic Filling System
- Certificates
- GMP-compliant design / 21 CFR Part 11, CE / UL (equipment conformity), GMP / 21 CFR Part 11 (design), ISO 9001
- Founded
- 2014
- Employees
- 200+ (as of 2021)
- Industries
- Biotechnology, Biopharma, Antibodies & Recombinant Proteins, Vaccine Production, Cell Therapy, Gene Therapy
- 01
Requirements definition
- 02
Preliminary design
- 03
Detailed engineering (3D models)
- 04
Prototypes & beta testing
- 05
Manufacturing (custom OEM)
- 06
Inspection & testing
- 07
Delivery & commissioning (FAT/SAT)
- 08
Aftermarket support
Systems & Technologies
BioMix Single-Use Mixer
Single-use mixing system 50–3000 L with bottom-mounted magnetic drive agitator for media and buffer preparation and formulation.
Benchtop Bioprocess Controller
Control system integrable with glass and single-use vessels for fermentation and cell culture.
Liquid Handling Unit
Liquid dosing with stepper pumps and 1-mL accuracy.
Aseptic Filling System
System for aseptic filling processes in the fill/finish area.
Locations
Vista, CA
USHeadquarters / Manufacturing (Custom OEM)
- Part weight / size
- 2 L – 3000 L (bioreactors, mixers, fermenters)
- Lot size
- Single units, custom projects
- Materials
- Single-Use & Multi-Use Systems
- BioMix Single-Use Mixer (50–3000 L)
- BioRocker (10/20/50 L)
- Benchtop BPC
- OptiFill
- Precision TFF Unit
- Precision Chrom Unit
- Single-Use UF/DF & Chromatography Skids
- Liquid Handling Unit
- 2000L Fermenter
Equipment & Devices
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custom OEM Bioprocess Equipment Design & Fabrication (2L bioreactors to 2000L fermenters)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Automation & Integration (DCS, PLC, MES, Hardware Architecture, Instrumentation, Process Control)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Commissioning, Qualification & Validation (CQV), SAT/FAT, Software ValidationTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Aftermarket Services (Repair, Troubleshooting, Preventative Maintenance, Spare Parts Management)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Biotech Staffing Services (Automation, Process Engineering, Validation)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Single-Use Mixing (BioMix SUM: media/buffer preparation, formulation, fill/finish)Engineering | 0.5% (Process Tolerance) | – | – | 50 L – 3000 L | – |
| Aseptic Filling (OptiFill)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chromatography (Benchtop Unit, Single-Use Large Scale Skid)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| TFF / Ultrafiltration-Diafiltration (Benchtop Unit, Large-Scale Single-Use Skid)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Fermentation / Cell Culture (Rocking Bioreactors, Benchtop BPC, Single-Use Bioreactor Control)Engineering | – | – | – | 2L – 2000L | – |
| Liquid Handling (Liquid Handling Unit with stepper pumps, accuracy 1 mL)Engineering | 1 mL | – | – | – | – |
| Media & Buffer Prep (OptiPrep System)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
11 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-Use Mixer (SUM) BioMix | AES BioMix | – | 50 L to 3000 L volume, bottom-mounted magnetic drive agitator, 4 load cells, RTD -50°C to +65°C | – | Oceanside, CA, USA |
| Rocking Bioreactor (BioRocker) | AES Basic/Deluxe BioRocker | – | 10L, 20L, 50L | – | Oceanside, CA, USA |
| Benchtop Bioprocess Controller (BPC) | AES Basic/Deluxe/Perfusion Benchtop BPC | – | integrable with glass and single-use vessels | – | Oceanside, CA, USA |
| Aseptic Filling System | AES OptiFill | – | – | – | Oceanside, CA, USA |
| Benchtop Chromatography Unit | AES Precision Chrom Unit | – | – | – | Oceanside, CA, USA |
| Benchtop TFF Unit | AES Precision TFF Unit | – | – | – | Oceanside, CA, USA |
| Single-Use Large Scale UF/DF Skid | AES | – | – | – | Oceanside, CA, USA |
| Single-Use Chromatography Skid | AES | – | – | – | Oceanside, CA, USA |
| Liquid Handling Unit | AES LHU | – | Stepper pumps, accuracy 1 mL | – | Oceanside, CA, USA |
| Fermenter | AES 2000L Fermenter | – | 2000 L | – | Oceanside, CA, USA |
| Bioreactors 2L | AES | 80 | 2 L | 2015 | Oceanside, CA, USA |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality & Compliance
Equipment is manufactured configurable for GMP compliance, CE and UL standards, and 21 CFR Part 11; FAT/SAT, software validation and CQV services complement the quality assurance.
| Evidence | Vista, CA |
|---|---|
| GMP / 21 CFR Part 11 (design) | |
| CE / UL (equipment conformity) | |
| ISO 9001 |
Company History
- 2014
Founded by Leo Castenada in Oceanside, CA; initially staffing services; exclusive sales partner of Mettler Toledo in Southern California.
- 2015
First major OEM project: 80 bioreactors of 2 L each for a customer in the Greater Los Angeles area.
- 2018
Development of the first BioRocker (rocking bioreactor) with integrated pumps; reached 100 employees.
- 2019
Exclusive partnership with Microfluidics; first office outside the USA in Zofingen (Switzerland); first major validation project; partnership with a multinational CDMO.
- 2020
Offices in Guatemala, India and Ireland; founding of the Aftermarket department; first 2000L fermenter manufactured; launch of the benchtop TFF and chromatography units.
- 2021
Offices in Colorado and Canada; 200 employees; office in Singapore; complete integration of an mAb facility; first collaboration with a cultured meat company.
- 2022
First European APW project; utilities delivered for a cell/gene therapy facility; offices in Denmark and Germany; launch of the Liquid Handling Unit and consumables.