BPC – a 20-year fascinating journey
As BPC Instruments celebrates two decades of progress, we sat down with Chairman Gustaf Olsson to look back on the journey, from a university lab in Lund, Sweden, to a global company with a presence in 80 countries. Gustaf has been involved since the very beginning. As co-supervisor to Dr. Jing Liu’s PhD research at Lund University, he witnessed the company take shape at the intersection of biotechnology, sensor technology, and automation.
“Anaerobic digestion was considered notoriously difficult to control. Without reliable instrumentation, most operators ran their digesters well below capacity just to avoid failure. There was clearly a need for better tools,” Gustaf begins.
Out of that need came an idea and then, in 2005, a company. Bioprocess Control (later renamed BPC Instruments) was founded with a clear mission: to make gas flow measurements more accurate, efficient, and accessible.
The breakthrough came with the launch of AMPTS, the Automatic Methane Potential Test System, which quickly gained traction in both academic and industrial settings. “When we saw AMPTS being used not only by researchers but also by plant operators, and delivering real results, we knew that the team had built something out of the ordinary,” says Gustaf.
“We didn’t set out to be a ‘green tech’ company, but by enabling smarter use of resources and better process control, we’ve become part of the sustainability movement. That’s something I’m proud of.”
From those early successes, the company grew steadily. Innovation awards and international recognition followed, validating both the technology and the company’s long-term vision. As demand increased, BPC expanded its global distributor network and continued to evolve its product line, always with a focus on combining scientific rigour with usability. “BPC were always a research-based company at heart,” Gustaf explains, “but we knew that to make a real impact, BPC needed to scale. That meant staying focused on quality, credibility, and the user experience.”
In 2014, Dr. Jing Liu took over as CEO and led BPC into its next chapter, including an IPO, rebranding from Bioprocess Control to BPC Instruments, and deeper expansion into international markets. At the same time, scientific adoption continued to accelerate. Today, BPC’s instruments are cited in more than 1,000 peer-reviewed publications, highlighting their value as trusted tools in both research and applied industry. “Scientific credibility has always been central,” says Gustaf. “The BPC technology is trusted not just because it works, but because it delivers consistent, high-quality data. That matters in both research and industry.”
Over time, the company’s product portfolio has broadened significantly. Today, BPC’s instruments are used not just in biogas, but also in biodegradability testing, animal nutrition, and other sectors of environmental biotechnology. The introduction of BPC Blue and Gas Endeavour III marks a new generation of products aimed at helping customers optimise processes, ensure compliance, and reduce environmental impact.
“We didn’t set out to be a ‘green tech’ company, but by enabling smarter use of resources and better process control, we’ve become part of the sustainability movement. That’s something I’m proud of.”
Now, the company is preparing for its next major milestone: moving into a new facility in Lund, set for completion in 2026. The new headquarters will expand production, strengthen service capacity, and accelerate in-house innovation.
“It’s been a fascinating journey. From a small research idea to a global company, it’s the people who’ve made the difference. The BPC team has built something truly meaningful, and I believe the best is still to come”, Gustaf concludes.
A longer version was first published in BPC’s Annual Report 2024.
About BPC Instruments
BPC Instruments is a global Swedish-based pioneering technology company developing and offering analytical instruments enabling more efficient, reliable, and higher quality research and analysis for industries in renewable bioenergy and environmental biotechnology. The result is not only higher accuracy and precision, but also a significant reduction in time consumption and labour requirement for performing analysis. BPC Instruments’ innovative products offer high-quality hardware and software based on deep knowledge and experience of target applications. Today, BPC Instruments exports to 80 countries around the world. BPC is listed on the Spotlight Stock Market in Sweden. For more information, please visit BPC’s webpage: www.bpcinstruments.com