History

FIA (originally called Fluid Innovation & Automation) was founded in 1987, in the Ideon Incubator (Lund), as a start-up specialising in the development of customised apparatus and instrument design.

A selection of key events and products is presented below.

1990 – 1999

  • Mobile liquid dispensing equipment was developed and became the main product during this period.
  • In 1995, FIA acquired the domain www.fia.se.
  • Manufacturing of robot modules for Astra’s (now AstraZeneca) robots for Turbuhaler analysis.
  • Resale of Alitea’s laboratory products.
  • Development of an instrument for the testing of drug release from chewing gum together with Pharmacia (Nicorette): a new masticatory apparatus was developed, followed by an apparatus for the content analysis of nicotine in chewing gum.
  • In 1997 AB FIA Odarslövs Mölla was formed with four employees. Fluid Innovation & Automation would continue to exist as a consultancy company.
  • Automated weighing of chemical salt dissolution and dilution recipes – BufPrep.
  • 1999 AB FIA relocated from Östra Odarslövs Mölla (a mill, soon to be integrated in the Science Village of MAX-lab and ESS!) to the premises at Öresundsvägen in Lund.

2000 – 2009

  • Automated foreign particle analysis of dry powder inhalers (three systems have been built to date).
  • Labelling system of vials, automated filling and sealing of cans for reagents and drugs.
  • 2003 FIA relocated to Södra Sandby.
  • Agreement with Erweka GmbH for them to distribute the masticatory apparatus world-wide.
  • Export of masticatory apparatuses to Canada, Denmark, England, Germany, India, Ireland, Korea, Japan, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Uruguay and the US.
  • A pressure-controlled masticatory apparatus with torque measurement was developed in collaboration with our customers.
  • FIA and IH Konsult developed a tobacco cutter for chewing tobacco for Multivac and Swedish Match.
  • FIA took over the agencies of G Diehm Glasbläserei GmbH, Gebr Rettberg GmbH and Bohlender GmbH.

2010 and Onwards

  • Founding of Prototypverkstaden, a machine shop in Lund at Medicon Village specialising in prototyping and manufacturing.
  • Continued sales of masticatory apparatus, glassware, dispensers and prototypes.
  • Breathing Profile Generator built for Emmace, member of Medicon Valley Inhalation Consortium, capable of replaying complex breathing pattern.
  • Several fully automated bespoke systems built for a major pharma company. The systems are used for screening as well as pharmacopoeial testing of dry powder inhalers within R&D and production quality control. Systems for inhaler testing now constitute a significant portion of the business.