IMA LIFE (Beijing) Pharmaceutical Systems Co. Ltd.

What IMA LIFE (Beijing) Pharmaceutical Systems Co. Ltd. does

IMA LIFE (Beijing) Pharmaceutical Systems Co. Ltd. is a wholly-owned Chinese subsidiary of Italy-based IMA Group (I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A., ticker: IMA on the Milan Stock Exchange), focused on serving the Chinese pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical market with aseptic processing and freeze-drying (lyophilization) equipment. The Beijing entity operates as a localized sales, service, and customer-support arm for IMA Life division technologies, complementing parent-group manufacturing facilities in Bologna/Calenzano (Italy) and Tonawanda (USA), as well as other regional entities in Japan and North America. The subsidiary itself is small (7 employees), reflecting its role as a market-access vehicle rather than a primary production site.

The company's core product portfolio centers on proprietary aseptic fill-finish and lyophilization platforms, including TILE-X (a gloveless, isolated fill-finish system using magnetic levitation for cell and gene therapy and advanced biologics), KRYOSEQ (advanced nucleation control for freeze-drying), INJECTA (high-speed robotic fill-finish for injectable devices), NEBULA (high-speed RTU decontamination tunnel), No-Touch Transfer technology, and Lab4Life process development services. These are sold both as standalone machines and as fully integrated production lines covering processing through to primary, secondary, and end-of-line packaging. IMA Group has invested in adjacent continuous-manufacturing orchestration (MAESTRO) and data-driven freeze-dryer monitoring (IMA Sentinel LYO), and offers an AI-tagged OEE & Line Audit analytics service.

The business model is enterprise B2B capital-equipment sales with quote-based pricing (no public price list), supplemented by recurring spare parts, technical support, training, and consulting revenue from the installed base. IMA sells primarily through direct field sales teams targeting large pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturers globally, leveraging industry exhibitions (CPHI, Interphex, PDA), webinars, and technical white papers as primary demand-generation channels. Named enterprise customers include Merck, Bayer, Catalent, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Sharp Sterile Manufacturing, indicating a customer base dominated by Tier-1 pharma and CDMOs. The Beijing subsidiary captures its share of this footprint for China, while major R&D and manufacturing investment occurs at the parent-group level (new Calenzano building, Tonawanda expansion, ProSys and Sarong acquisitions).

Name

IMA LIFE (Beijing) Pharmaceutical Systems Co. Ltd.

Legal name

IMA LIFE (Beijing) Pharmaceutical Systems Co. Ltd.

Website

https://ima-pharma.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IMA LIFE (Beijing) is the China-based subsidiary of Italy's IMA Group, selling aseptic processing and freeze-drying pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment, including proprietary TILE-X, KRYOSEQ, and INJECTA platforms, to enterprise pharma and biopharma customers in the Chinese market.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Processing Equipment

NAICS

Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (3332)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550)

akta.pro primary industry

Aseptic Processing, Fill-Finish & Sterile Manufacturing Tech (isolators, lyophilization interfaces) (HLAAAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fill-Finish & Aseptic Drug Product Manufacturing (Biologics/ATMP) (HLAGAGAG), Filling & Dosing Equipment (Liquid, Powder, Aseptic) (IMALAOAB)

Keywords

• Aseptic processing equipment
• Freeze drying machines
• Pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment
• Sterile fill-finish systems
• Lyophilization technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Bologna

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Equipment: IMA Life generates revenue through the sale of aseptic processing and freeze-drying equipment to pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies. Equipment includes standalone machines and integrated production lines.
2. Integrated Lines: Complete pharmaceutical production lines from processing through to primary, secondary and end-of-line packaging requirements.
3. Spare Parts and Services: Technical support, spare parts, training, and consulting services for installed equipment base.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

IMA LIFE designs, manufactures, and supplies aseptic processing and freeze-drying (lyophilization) equipment for the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. The company offers standalone machines (such as fill-finish and lyophilization systems), fully integrated production lines covering processing through primary, secondary, and end-of-line packaging, plus supporting services including spare parts, training, technical support, and consulting. Its product portfolio addresses sterile manufacturing of injectables, vaccines, biologics, cell and gene therapies, and highly potent drugs.

Product overview

IMA LIFE is part of IMA Group, a multinational manufacturer of pharmaceutical processing and packaging equipment. The company operates through five main divisions: IMA Active (solid dose processing including tableting, granulation, coating, capsule filling, and continuous manufacturing), IMA Life (aseptic processing and freeze-drying solutions), IMA Safe (primary and secondary packaging including blister, tube, jar, sachet, cartoning), IMA BFB (end-of-line packaging including bundling, overwrapping, case packing, palletizing), and IMA Labeling (labeling solutions). The company provides both individual machines and complete integrated production lines covering processing, primary packaging, secondary packaging, and end-of-line operations. Supporting services include IMA Sentinel LYO for freeze-dryer monitoring, OEE & Line Audit analytics, consulting, training, spare parts, and technical support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IMA Active: IMA's experience in solid dose processing and manufacturing, including tableting, granulation, coating, and capsule filling technologies
• IMA Life
• IMA Safe
• IMA BFB
• IMA Labeling
• INJECTA
• DOMINA
• TILE-X
• GIANT5 Series
• KRYOSEQ
• Lab4Life
• IMA Sentinel LYO
• CROMA
• MAESTRO
• AQUARIA
• A46
• NEBULA
• Prexima
• Adapta
• Perfima
• Injecta
• ROTO CUBE
• FUSION
• ISOFAST
• ISOTECH
• IMA End of Line
• IMA Sarong
• IMA Swiftpack
• IMA Ilapak
• IMA Life North America Inc.
• IMA Life Japan KK
• IMA S.p.A. – LIFE Division Bologna

Products and services

• TILE-X Gloveless, isolated aseptic fill-finish system using magnetic levitation technology, designed for Cell & Gene therapy, ATMPs, and high-value advanced biologics. Targeted at pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturers requiring contamination-free processing of high-value sterile products.
• KRYOSEQ Advanced nucleation control technology for freeze-drying (lyophilization) that delivers complete control over nucleation with larger crystals, intra-batch consistency, and regulatory compliance. Used by pharmaceutical manufacturers requiring reproducible lyophilization processes.
• IMA Sentinel LYO Data-driven platform for continuous performance monitoring of freeze-drying machines and production, part of the IMA Pharma services portfolio. Provided to pharmaceutical manufacturers operating lyophilization equipment.
• OEE & Line Audit Advanced analytics and AI-driven service to reduce inefficiencies and optimize operations across pharmaceutical production lines.
• Aseptic liquid and lyo vial processing line Integrated production line for aseptic liquid and lyophilized vial processing with pre-stoppered vials and aluminum sealing, serving sterile pharmaceutical manufacturing.
• Cell & Gene and high-value, small batch processing line Integrated production line for Cell & Gene therapy and high-value small batch aseptic processing, serving advanced therapy developers and biopharmaceutical manufacturers.
• Pre-filled syringe processing line Integrated pre-filled syringe packaging line with paper tray handling, and a separate high-speed pre-filled syringe processing line with tray handling, serving sterile injectable pharmaceutical manufacturers.
• Assembly and packaging line for injectable devices Integrated lines for both low to medium-speed and high-speed assembly and packaging of injectable devices, serving pharmaceutical manufacturers of injectable drug delivery products.
• Aseptic powder vial processing line Integrated production line for aseptic processing of powder vials, serving sterile pharmaceutical manufacturers.
• DPI processing and assembly line

Quantifiable outcome

• IMA Life won Interphex NY Awards for the third consecutive year (2024)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• ProSysmajorTechnology or Integration · 11 February 2026IMA acquired ProSys to expand capabilities in isolator technology and pharmaceutical processing solutions.
• Sharp Sterile ManufacturingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 January 2026IMA Life partners with Sharp Sterile Manufacturing to advance aseptic capabilities in the U.S. Focus on enhancing sterile manufacturing capabilities.
• RheaVitacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2024IMA Life announced strategic partnership with RheaVita to drive further technological development and commercial growth in freeze-drying solutions.
• Kawasaki RoboticscoreTechnology or Integration · 13 June 2023IMA Life and Kawasaki Robotics partnership for breaking ground in pharmaceutical processing innovations. Collaboration focused on advanced robotics integration for pharmaceutical manufacturing solutions.
• CatalentmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 July 2021Catalent and IMA Life reconverted a powder aseptic processing line in just 8 months, demonstrating successful collaboration in pharmaceutical manufacturing.
• GetingecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2019IMA Life and Getinge create flexible solutions for the pharma and biopharma industries. Strategic partnership combining expertise in processing and manufacturing equipment.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Steris Corporation: Broad incumbent in sterilization and infection prevention, including pharmaceutical isolators, sterilizers, and contamination control. Steris serves overlapping customers but as part of a much larger portfolio of sterilization and lab services—not solely focused on aseptic fill-finish equipment.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific (Pharma Services): Diversified life sciences giant whose pharma services division includes sterile fill-finish and bioprocessing capabilities. While much broader than IMA Life, Thermo Fisher competes at the high end of the biologics/sterile manufacturing services and equipment market.

Regional players

• Truking Technology: Chinese pharmaceutical equipment and packaging machinery manufacturer primarily serving the domestic Chinese market. Truking competes with IMA Life in aseptic processing and fill-finish but with less international reach—relevant as a regional peer for IMA's Beijing-based Chinese operations.

Direct peers

• Tofflon Science and Technology: Chinese-headquartered direct competitor specializing in pharmaceutical freeze-drying equipment, aseptic fill-finish, and integrated production lines. Tofflon is the leading domestic Chinese alternative to IMA Life for the same pharma processing equipment category, particularly for state-owned and generics manufacturers.
• Marchesini Group: Italian packaging machinery manufacturer specializing in primary and secondary packaging for pharma and cosmetics. Marchesini competes with IMA Safe/IMA BFB divisions and overlaps with IMA's integrated-line offering for the same multinational pharma accounts.
• GEA Group (Pharma & Healthcare): GEA's pharma processing and aseptic equipment portfolio directly overlaps with IMA Life's aseptic processing and freeze-drying offerings, including lyophilization, isolators, and integrated processing lines for injectables and biologics—serving the same multinational pharma customer base.
• Syntegon (formerly Bosch Packaging Technology): One of the closest direct competitors to IMA Life in aseptic fill-finish and lyophilization equipment for pharma. Syntegon offers processing and packaging machinery with deep overlap in isolators, vial filling, and freeze-drying—directly contesting IMA's TILE-X, KRYOSEQ, and INJECTA lines for the same blue-chip pharma customers.
• SP Industries (SP Scientific): A specialist in freeze-drying (lyophilization) equipment and pharmaceutical processing technology. SP Scientific directly competes with IMA Life's KRYOSEQ nucleation-controlled freeze-drying platform and broader lyo processing line business across the same biotech and pharma segments.
• Bausch + Strobel: German specialist in aseptic fill-finish equipment for vials, syringes, and ampoules. Bausch + Strobel directly competes with IMA Life's fill-finish machinery (INJECTA, TILE-X) and lyophilization integrated lines, particularly in the European injectables market.
• Romaco Group: European packaging and processing equipment manufacturer offering aseptic and pharmaceutical processing solutions including tableting and fill-finish machinery. Romaco competes with IMA Life and IMA Active across overlapping pharma and nutraceutical customer segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/imagroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/imagroupsocial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ima-life-beijing-pharmaceutical-systems-co.-ltd.
• Instagraminstagram.com/imagroupsocial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IMA LIFE (Beijing) Pharmaceutical Systems Co. Ltd.