5/21/2026
For ALK France's 20th anniversary, we visited the heart of their production site in Varennes-en-Argonne (Meuse) to discover a process as fascinating as it is rigorous: mite cultivation for the creation of desensitization treatments.
Franck Mouton, Maintenance Manager at ALK, opened the doors of this state-of-the-art laboratory to us. He discusses the technological evolution of their production and highlights this major strategic partnership with Caelis.
A look back at a collaboration defined by high standards and human values.
To understand the challenges of this production, one must first know ALK. A Danish pharmaceutical laboratory and pioneer in allergy research, ALK is the global leader in allergen immunotherapy (more commonly known as desensitization).
One of their daily challenges? Raising mites (of which they list over 12,000 species) to extract the allergenic raw material needed for their treatments. But ALK doesn't cultivate mites on an industrial pharmaceutical scale by chance. As Franck Mouton, who is starting his 25th year with the company, points out: "Originally, it wasn't done with such sophisticated equipment.".
To meet the growing demand from its markets and ensure impeccable quality cultures, ALK urgently needed to modernize its infrastructure. The objective was clear: to equip itself with climatic chambers and rooms capable of recreating and maintaining perfect environments for the reproduction of these organisms.
This is where Caelis comes in, specializing in the design and manufacture of environmental simulation equipment.
The choice of Caelis was not by chance. Building on past collaborations with our current management, Franck Mouton decided to trust us from our company's inception in 2019 to equip the Varennes-en-Argonne site.
Why this choice? Beyond our undeniable technical expertise, it was human values that made the difference. To fully grasp the challenges of this very specific production, our team traveled directly to Varennes-en-Argonne to meet ALK. This on-site immersion and direct exchange allowed us to understand their activity in depth. By observing their processes, we were able to precisely identify how our environmental simulation equipment was necessary to secure and optimize their production.
Thanks to this hands-on approach, we demonstrated attentive listening and a genuine desire to understand ALK's specific needs to meet them 100%.
Today, ALK's site features various models of Caelis climatic chambers. These pieces of equipment allow for absolute control over:
These two factors are crucial for ensuring the proper development of the cultures. Furthermore, for species requiring larger volumes, ALK relies on our climatic rooms (larger-scale modules).
But in the pharmaceutical world, machines alone aren't enough. Traceability and documentation are essential pillars. This is where Caelis truly excels. "They respond perfectly to that.", says Franck Mouton. Whether it's high-quality intervention reports or comprehensive technical documentation, Caelis provides all the necessary support to meet audits and the sector's strict standards.
As ALK France celebrates its 20th anniversary, the outcome of this collaboration is extremely positive. The alliance between ALK's pharmaceutical expertise and our "Made in France" know-how in climate simulation now enables the production of optimal quality treatments for allergy sufferers.
As ALK's Maintenance Manager perfectly summarizes: "It's truly well-structured, well-defined, and serious – everything we expect."
A big thank you to ALK for their trust, and a very happy anniversary to their French teams!
To learn more and see the full testimonial in images, we invite you to watch Franck Mouton's video interview directly on our LinkedIn page!