IONISOS, one of the first companies in the world to use ionizing rays for the sterilization of medical devices, has its origins tracing back to the year 1958 when the French multinational opened the first gamma plant in France.

Since 1993, the company has made a series of international mergers and acquisitions that are still ongoing, transforming IONISOS into a major player in the European Industrial Sterilization market. IONISOS now offers industrial sterilization for a wide range of applications and products, including:

• Disposable medical supplies
• Primary packaging materials: bottles, capsules, stoppers
• Pharmaceutical raw materials or finished products

The company currently consists of nine plants; including six in France, one in Estonia, one in Germany and one in Spain:

• Four Gamma plants: Dagneux (near Lyon, France), Sablé (near Le Mans, France), Pouzauges (near Nantes, France) and Ionisos Baltics in Saue vald (Estonia)
• Three e-beam plants: Ionisos Chaumesnil (Near Troyes , France), Ionisos Ibérica in Tarancón ( near Madrid, Spain) and Ionisos Deutschland in Bautzen (Germany)
• Two Ethyle Oxide sites: Gien (near Orleans, France) and Civrieux d’Azergues (near Lyon, France)

Gamma rays from Co-60

Gamma rays are a safe, reproducible and reliable method to sterilize medical devices and pharmaceutical products. The high penetration capacity of the gamma rays allows the treatment of full pallets and high-density products.

The Chaumesnil Aube-Champagne E-Beam plant is reserved for sterilisation of large batches of equipment originating from the medical-surgery, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and packaging industries.

Ionmed Esterilización (now Ionisos Iberica) is part of the Ionisos Group; it performs industrial sterilization of medical, pharmaceutical and laboratory products.

The Pouzauges gamma ray plant near Nantes allows us to provide sterilisation services without depalletising.

Ionisos has recently bought the gamma plant in Estonia.

Ionisos' new E beam plant is located in Germany.

E-beam

E-beam or Beta rays, produced using a particle accelerator, give us the same sterilization capacity as the gamma rays except for the penetrating power, which is lower than in the gamma rays. The beta rays, however, are more flexible and allow the treatment of small batches.

EO sterilization

Ionisos also offers sterilization using EO gas. The EO sterilization method allows a flexible, reliable and efficient process compatible with most Medical Device materials and designs.

Quality sterilization services

Years of experience and a wide geographic positioning allow Ionisos to work with all major companies involved in medical and pharmaceutical devices in Europe. Ionisos customers are active in a broad range of businesses requiring sterilization: medical devices, laboratory material, aseptic production and packaging.

Ionisos is committed to developing partnerships with its customers based on quality agreements that incorporate the stringent quality requirements applicable to their business sectors.

All Ionisos plants are ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 11137, ISO 14001 certified. Ionisos is frequently audited by its Notified Body (GMed), local authorities and its clients as it continues to work with many international companies.

More than ever, Ionisos is offering reliable, high-quality solutions to sterilization projects for all kind of products, all around Europe.