BGS Closes Fiscal Year 2025 with a Slight Increase and Expects Stable Growth in 2026
BGS closed fiscal year 2025 with a slight increase compared to the previous year. This was achieved by the radiation sterilization division, where revenue grew primarily due to orders from the medical technology sector. Radiation crosslinking, on the other hand, continued to show subdued growth. For 2026, BGS anticipates stable growth, supported by reliable demand from the medical technology sector.
Radiation Sterilization Shows Robust Performance – E-Beam Becomes More Important
In its core business of radiation sterilization, BGS recorded growth last year primarily in medical devices, in vitro diagnostics, and biotechnology applications. Gamma and electron beam (E-Beam) processes were used complementarily for product sterilization, with demand for sterilization using E-Beam technology rising compared to the previous year.
“In 2025, we saw a continued rise in demand for re-qualifications, both from ethylene oxide to radiation and between gamma and E-Beam, driven by customers’ desire for validation reliability, stable supply chains, and shorter time-to-market for new products,” explains Managing Director Dr. Andreas Ostrowicki.
Radiation Crosslinking Slowed by Subdued Industrial Demand
In radiation crosslinking, however, growth remained at a low level due to weaker demand from construction-related industries as well as from the mechanical engineering and automotive sectors. Experience shows that this weaker demand has a ripple effect along the value chain, extending to suppliers of relevant components and technical applications and thus also to BGS as a service provider for the radiation crosslinking of plastics.
“Economic conditions in Germany remained challenging for many industrial sectors in 2025. This was also evident in radiation crosslinking, where, as a service provider, we are heavily dependent on the performance of our customers and their end markets,” Ostrowicki says. “At the same time, 2025 was a solid year for us operationally: We were able to further consolidate our position in radiation sterilization, and by establishing our new subsidiary in Pittsburgh, we have laid the groundwork to provide additional capacity for medical technology and further secure our customers’ supply chains.”
BGS US: Increased Capacity for Medical Technology and Stable Supply Chains
Last year, the company expanded its presence by establishing BGS US LLC in Pittsburgh, which is focused on fully automated E-Beam radiation treatment. The ramp-up is proceeding according to plan, and the first medical technology customers have been successfully qualified.
“Our new subsidiary, BGS US LLC, helps us stabilize international supply chains and increase supply security for our European and global customers,” Ostrowicki says. “We continue to see a need for reliable sterilization partners and additional capacity in Germany and the United States.”
Investments in Modernization and Capacity Expansion
For 2026, BGS anticipates stable overall business performance and plans phased investments to boost efficiency at its German sites. Key priorities include the further development and modernization of handling systems at various facilities to expand the range of irradiable products and applications.