By Cory Lee, project manager, SMC Ltd.

The need for manufacturing support that offers adaptable, scalable solutions has become more crucial than ever for the diagnostic space. Challenges related to increasingly sensitive and costly drugs, as well as external factors related to the ongoing pandemic and supply chain constraints, have created complexities that are often best mitigated through the expertise and experience of a Contract Manufacturer (CM) able to adapt to an ever-changing market.

Recently, a leading diagnostics company that had worked for years to develop its point-of-care (POC) testing technology for influenza and other viruses, was forced to pivot to COVID-19 testing at the start of the pandemic. Pressed for time and in need of rapid scale-up and turnaround, it engaged SMC Ltd. to manufacture parts of its testing technology, working against tight timelines, labor constraints, and supply chain disruptions.

By utilizing its network of facilities and equipment, as well as plans to incorporate automation to address personnel shortages, SMC was able to establish a high-volume production plan and cut the required number of operators nearly in half through automation. As a result, SMC was successful in producing molded components and sub-assemblies for the testing cartridge systems, scaling production quickly and efficiently.

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