Solvay's influenza business: Development of a new technology

Major technological innovations are usually associated with central research and development facilities in large companies and leading edge technologies that are key to unlocking business opportunities in promising, embryonic markets. In this study we analyse how the 'Business Group Influenza' (BGI) in Solvay revitalised its influenza vaccine business through the commitment of people in the periphery of the company, in combination with changing market conditions as the result of the upcoming threat of an avian influenza pandemic. BGI turned a mature business, which was the subject of divestment discussion, into a growth engine for the company through the development of a cell culture technology and a new state-of-the-art production technology to produce influenza vaccines. The company was the first in the world to get market authorisation for its cell culture technology, and recently implemented the technology on a full industrial scale. In this case we focus on the key factors that underpin the success of this business revitalisation.