The company
We are experts in industrial biotechnology. For over 15 years we have been establishing ourselves as a leader in our field throughout Europe, and we maintain a network of trusted partners around the world.
The company
We are experts in industrial biotechnology. For over 10 years we have been establishing ourselves as a leader in our field throughout Europe, and we maintain a network of trusted partners around the world.
Our mission
Combining extensive industrial and R&D experience we continuously develop the field of biotechnology in Europe and around the world.
Technology
Years of professional involvement helped us build effective biotechnological solutions. The systems we create are reliable, efficient, and environment-friendly.
R&D
Our enterprise is founded on extensive and comprehensive knowledge. Our R&D projects are highly innovative, which results in a better chance to obtain external funding.
Implementation
We successfully implement our designed technical solutions. BIOTECHNIKA is renowned for both its effectiveness and customer satisfaction.
We are a team of professionals
We offer fully operational industrial installations which meet all of our clients’ requirements, as well as the completion of specific stages of any given project. We conduct the whole process (from permits/procedures, engineering projects, to installation and commission) to deliver custom-made, comprehensive technological solutions. Moreover, we can offer support in obtaining funds and subsidies (e.g. European funds, national government and regional subsidies, competitive government export financing). This financial aid can be awarded for innovative investments in research and development, export projects from Poland, or regional investments in specific areas. BIOTECHNIKA has experience in implementing projects financed under: The Regional Operational Program of the Lodzkie Voivodship (ROP LV 2014-2020), The Polish Rural Development Program (RDP), The Innovative Economy program, and EU-funded research projects (Horizon 2020). We also worked on projects which, thanks to our support, secured bonds/guarantees and financing at a discount to market rates from Polish private and state-owned banks.
We actively participate in Polish and European projects which raise awareness of, and develop, the bioeconomy of our region. We supported the establishment of the Polish National Program for Bioeconomy. We have been cooperating with the greatest Polish and European academic institutions, as well as the key players in the areas of agriculture, food production, chemistry, petrochemistry, and energy. We help develop awareness and ideas which support the Polish economy in meeting the goals defined in the global plans for bioeconomy, as well as its applications in the field of renewable resource acquisition.
Tomasz Kapela, MEng
Owner / Bioprocess engineer
A molecular biotechnology and industrial engineer. He received his education from Polish and foreign institutions, i.a. Lodz University of Technology (PL), Van Hall Instytut (NL), Max Planck Institute (DE), Technical University of Denmark (DK), Institute of Brewing and Distilling (UK).
He initiates and actively participates in the process of designing all our projects. He focuses on developing innovative solutions in the field of biotechnology, both in terms of research and regular industrial operation.
Krzysztof Makowski, PhD
R&D Department director / Chief biotechnologist
He has a doctorate in biotechnology and molecular biology. He is a graduate of Lodz University of Technology (PL), where he currently holds a teaching position. He is a member of the working group at the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Poland – “Biotechnological processes and products; Speciality chemicals and environmental engineering”. He is also an expert at the National Centre for Research and Development.
He has vast knowledge of biotechnology due to his 14-year-long individual research and cooperation at various international research initiatives from the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, and Iceland. He has been collaborating with BIOTECHNIKA since 2012 on our R&D projects and brought many of them to the commercial phase. His main responsibility is to oversee and report on ongoing R&D projects, to plan and design future ones, and to support the process section at the initial stages of the design process. He has authored new solutions, many of which are being developed as commercial technologies.
Sylwia Szarek, MA
Director of administration / Office manager
She is a graduate of the Faculty of Economics at the Cracow Academy of Economics (now called University of Economics) and specialised in Economics and Public Administration. She gained her professional experience at, i.a. ING Silesian Bank (PR office), the Economy and Public Administration Foundation in Cracow cooperating closely with the Academy of Economics (she was the first president of the board, organised scientific conferences, and participated in EU-funded projects for social economy), as a private entrepreneur (in trade), and at the company KOMFORT S.A. (where she worked as a coordinator for the board office).
Sylwia’s diverse experience lets her proficiently coordinate many areas of BIOTECHNIKA’s office work – management and administration, HR, promotion, and PR.
Sebastian Mroczek, MEng
Project manager / Chief plumbing designer
An environmental engineer, a plumber. A graduate of Lodz University of Technology (PL), a member of the Lodz Regional Chamber of Engineers.
He designs HVAC, hydraulic, and fire protection systems and installations for all types of structures. He is an expert architect of drainage systems for roads and parking lots. He also makes engineering assessments and analyses, field inspections, conceptual drawings and designs, technical specifications and cost estimates. He is responsible for all the engineering works of BIOTECHNIKA including fresh/waste/storm water, internal water distribution and sewage disposal, and HVAC systems (including safe detection and ventilation of ethanol, carbon dioxide, and methane).
Przemysław Jezierski, MEng
Field Project manager
A graduate of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environmental Engineering at the Lodz University of Technology (PL). He is qualified to manage construction works without limitation within a range of civil engineering construction with no restrictions. He gained his professional experience on construction sites of civil engineering projects in Poland and the rest of Europe – i.a. the Górna and W-Z thoroughfares in Lodz, and stages of “Rail Baltica”. He was the supervisor of civil works at the second line of the Warsaw underground.
He has plenty of experience in supervising works on building complex structures in highly urbanised areas, which he uses while realising projects run by BIOTECHNIKA. He cooperates closely with the Client, Designer, and Subcontractors, facilitating their communication, coordinating the on-site cooperation of several different industries and solving technical problems, which appear routinely in this line of business.
Maciej Domowicz, MEng
Electrical site manager
A graduate from Lodz University of Technology (PL), specialises in: electronics, automatics, measurement. A member of the Lodz Regional Chamber of Engineers.
He designs commercial and household electrical systems. He evaluates the efficiency of these installations, issues certificates and permits. He is a consultant for, and a supervisor of, electrical installation creation. He also has extensive experience in the design of commercial and industrial installations. His knowledge, experience, and skills are of immense importance for BIOTECHNIKA, as large parts of our projects are related to the production of renewable energy.
Karol Warszawa, MEng
Operations director / Chief architect
A graduate from the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environmental Engineering at the Lodz University of Technology (PL). He has worked for BIOTECHNIKA from the start. He is mainly responsible for managing projects and flow of information, i.e. he supervises and coordinates all the work of our executive and design staff. He has more than a decades worth of experience in architecture, and his open attitude combined with practical thinking creates the framework for processes developed by BIOTECHNIKA. He is in charge of the following areas:
– spatial planning and urban development,
– designing buildings and process-related structures,
– developing detailed designs of office and retail parts (in compliance with regulations for food production facilities or GLP/GMP requirements).
Michał Staśkiewicz, MEng
Project manager / Chief structure designer
A PhD student at Lodz University of Technology (PL) in civil engineering. Earlier, he obtained his education in Poland and at VIA University College (DK). He possesses innovative and expert knowledge on composite materials for civil engineering, which he gained while working on international research projects in Switzerland and the UK.
He oversees and coordinates the operation of the structure design department and works closely with Clients reporting on the progress of work and helping them actively participate in all stages of the project realisation.
Maria Gosa, MEng
Project manager / Bioprocess engineer
She received her education from Polish and foreign institutions, i.a. Lodz University of Technology (PL) and University of Twente (NL). She gained international experience in the field of biotechnology and nanotechnology in the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore, while conducting research on new surfaces preventing marine life settlement.
She is an expert in bioprocess engineering and works on many stages of project development – from its conceptual phase, through obtaining relevant permits, to planning and detailed design. She works closely with Clients and helps them obtain the technical and planning permits necessary for their work.
Our Customers
Technologies
Careful and precise engineering work, which is our priority, is a key element of the success for all of our projects and activities. The creation of each offered technology begins with a thorough analysis of the process, including balancing mass and energy. The results of the lab tests that come after, if satisfactory, let us move to the detailed engineering process. It is crucial for all the following project activities:
- mechanical engineering,
- architecture,
- structural engineering,
- plumbing (both internal and external),
- HVAC (including safety systems for volatile, flammable and explosive liquids and gases),
- electrical engineering,
- telecommunication,
- instrumentation and control,
- roads.
We run all the aforementioned engineering sections. We believe that by working this way we can better our understanding of the project, and ensure flawless communication between all parties. We approach all of our projects in this manner, no matter their location. We also collaborate with local companies which have the technical qualifications and local know-how to ensure that our projects are fully technically compliant wherever they are located.
We work using cutting edge software to create 2D and 3D models (AutoCAD, AutoCAD Plant 3D, Bentley, Solidworks, Revit, Robot Structural Analysis Pro, Advance Steel, Tekla, SketchUp, Ecodial, XSpider, Dialux, Instalsoft, Cadprofi, Fluid Desk). We prepare comprehensive documentation for fire safety and explosion risk assessment, which is a normal part of the design process within the areas of our expertise (e.g. ethanol and biogas).
It is up to our clients to decide at which stage of their investment they need the support of BIOTECHNIKA. Our portfolio includes references and investments in which we executed parts of projects or facilities, as well as projects in which we managed the whole construction process. We can oversee all subcontractors to deliver to our clients turnkey solutions according to their specifications.
Partners
Thanks to our cooperation with R&D institutions and self-regulatory organisations, we are able to provide comprehensive support for industrial biotechnology, research, development, and surveying.
Lodz University of Technology
The university is a long-standing partner, facilitating work at the stage of research and development. Most R&D projects involve international cooperation. Currently, BIOTECHNIKA, individually and with industry partners, cooperates with Lodz University of Technology in the following areas of biotechnology:
- internal R&D projects,
- a funding programme for the development of biotechnology by the Department of Development,
- a technological platform for bioeconomy in Poland.
Bioeconomy Cluster Society
The goal of this association is to integrate and consolidate the scientific and economic community that is focused on the field of bioeconomy, especially considering its cross-sector impact which affects the basic areas of their cooperation, i.e. innovation, education, development of entrepreneurship, and social communication. BIOTECHNIKA is one of the founders of the society, and its CEO is the president of the cluster.
Bionanopark
Bionanopark is one of the most modern and advanced R&D centres in Central Europe. It offers investment and business incubation services. For years BIOTECHNIKA has been conducting most of its laboratory work there, i.a.:
Refimol – „The biotechnological production of hyaluronic acid based on a unique extremophilic strain capable of using waste glycerine as a source of carbon” funded within the Poland/EU Smart Growth Programme (2014-2020).
Dergo – „Innovative technology of biotechnological waste treatment based on molasses” funded within the Innovative Economy Operational Programme for Poland (2007-2013). The project focused on neutralising and extracting useful products from molasses waste.
Ongoing – a project on optimizing the bio-refinement of selected biomass raw materials, especially beetroots: whole tailings and pulp.
The Lodz Chamber of Industry and Commerce
The Lodz Chamber of Industry and Commerce is a networking platform. It aids in the exchange of knowledge, experience, and contacts between entrepreneurs. It cooperates with BIOTECHNIKA and provides assistance in organising business meetings, training, and counselling.
The office
Lodz is widely known as a highly industrialised city, where in the shadow of smoking chimneys, the redness of factory brick buildings was interwoven with the greyness of concrete residential areas. Nowadays this image is far from reality. The Polish, Jewish, German, and Russian spinning and textile mills rapidly raised throughout nearly the entire 19th century were taken over after 1945 by the nationalised textile industry, having their infrastructure expanded to match the needs of the 20th century. The factories operated seamlessly, the number of inhabitants grew, and new residential areas were built. It seemed like nothing could stop that expansion. The political turmoil of 1989 and its subsequent Polish comeback to the global arena challenged the myth of Lodz being a strong and developing city. Increasing competition, low materials quality, the introduction of a market economy, the import of cheap textiles from the East, and the loss of contracts led to gradual downfall of the textile industry in Lodz. For years, abandoned and dilapidated factorial areas haunted the few tourists that Lodz managed to attract, and frustrated its inhabitants who sentimentally remembered their previous workplaces.
With the dawn of a new millennium, Lodz began the implementation of an idea found in the post-industrial urban areas of Western Europe that faced the negative effects of outsourcing. Post-industrial facilities were successfully transformed into residential and commercial compounds that were characterised by large open spaces, bare-brick interiors, glass and steel, high ceilings, huge windows, and factory lighting. The first such transformation took place in the 19th-century factory of Karl Scheibler, which consisted of a vast spinning mill, a cotton-producing textile mill, a gas plant, a dyeing section, a railroad siding, a fire department, and a number of smaller structures. With passing years similar transformations took place in other post-factorial areas in Lodz. This idea was also implemented in other Polish cities like Warsaw, Poznan, or in Upper Silesia.
In BIOTECHNIKA we feel a strong need to highlight the local origin of our company and for that reason, working within the local programme of our city’s revitalisation, shaping its image as a creative and developing metropolis, we chose for our headquarters a detached old stable within Scheibler’s complex. In the space of over 400 square metres we organised 40 fully equipped, comfortable workstations, a modern teleconference room, a friendly lobby along with a reception area, a library, a fully equipped kitchen, and sanitary facilities. The building is fully wheelchair-accessible.
The decision about the location is largely an attempt to pay our homage to the generations of those living in Lodz who contributed to the growth of our city through their hard work. In a way we continue their work today in this new reality.
Sponsoring
For the past 10 years BIOTECHNIKA has been the main sponsor of an amateur seven-person rugby team – the Gentlemen’s Rugby Club. Interestingly, most of our employees are recruited from that team. Moreover, the ability to set shared goals, finding honour in responsibility, and the experience of close cooperation that are forged on the rugby pitch are perfectly utilised at work on our projects. Although the club has been gradually injecting new blood into the team, some of us still run out on the pitch in the first squad.
BIOTECHNIKA’s employees are also on the board of the Lodz District Rugby Association, shaping the image of this sport in Poland and promoting healthy, fair attitudes among kids and youth in the Lodz Province.
By means of exporting its technologies to countries with rugby in their DNA, BIOTECHNIKA gains an additional common ground with potential investors who have similar sport experience from their time at university. It translates to, for example, shared watching of games during unofficial parts of business meetings, and sometimes even trips to matches of top teams in international competitions (Six Nations Championship, World Cup).
