Building 'Mission Essential Infrastructure' for COVID-19 Response

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. and LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, Germfree delivered a 53-foot containment cleanroom trailer to a major US pharmaceutical company where they will work on a COVID-19 vaccine.  This is the first, of what is expected to be, many mobile laboratory spaces that will be delivered to scientists and organizations working on virus and antibody testing, vaccine development, research, and deployment solutions.  Germfree was quickly able to meet the need for a biocontainment unit specifically designed for COVID-19 vaccine development because the company has decades of experience providing rapidly deployable biocontainment laboratory space.  

Since the 1990s, the Germfree has pioneered the use of mobile containment cleanrooms for surge capacity, hospital renovations, and emergency preparedness.  In recent years, the company has deployed over 60 mobile solutions like the ones needed to meet the COVID-19 crisis to public and private healthcare systems across the US, including to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Massachusetts General Hospital, Stanford Health Care, Kaiser Permanente, UW Medicine, Yale New Haven Health, and the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).  

This experience positions Germfree to provide what is needed today as well as solutions that can be easily tailored in the future to meet needs that have yet to be identified. 

"While not endorsing any particular company or product, rapidly deployable, complete laboratories will greatly enhance the US response to testing for COVID-19."  said Paul Jensen, Ph.D., Lead for Infection Control and Biosafety at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), upon commenting on flexible solutions and laboratory safety.

Just as scientists and healthcare professionals have pivoted to focus efforts on reducing the lethality of COVID-19, Germfree employees and the company's supply chains have coordinated to be ready to provide researchers and healthcare systems with what they need to fight this virus. Germfree's well-trained workforce is incredibly versatile and has years of experience providing scientists and the healthcare industry with precisely what they need when they need it. With an Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce designation from the Department of Homeland Security and procedures in place to protect the health of employees, Germfree remains ready to produce. 

Over the years, Germfree has developed strong relationships with vendors, assuring a continuous supply chain for production. Some, such as Kentucky Trailer, a key provider of specialty mobile platforms, are prioritizing Germfree so that the company can quickly meet the needs in the field: 

"We clearly understand the importance of Germfree's mobile labs in the national response to COVID-19. Early on, we worked together to put a plan in place to prioritize critical production demands and maintain supply chain resiliency during these unprecedented circumstances," said Tom Harper, a VP at Kentucky Trailer.

"As an essential critical infrastructure business, Kentucky Trailer and our dedicated associates are honored to assist Germfree in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic," added Gary A. Smith, Sr., President and CEO of Kentucky Trailer. "What we make matters, underscored by the importance in the combined effort of two great companies partnering to address this historic, must-win challenge."

Other manufacturers have stepped up to formalize plans to provide Germfree with components: 

"We put extra mechanisms in place to avert disruptions and secure the supply chain for Germfree during the pandemic," said Tim Confer, President, Northern Air Systems, a provider of specialty cooling units for the mobile laboratories.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has designated Germfree and its employees as 'Essential Mission Infrastructure Support'. Together, with its collaborating vendors, Germfree will continue to employ Americans to provide scientists and healthcare systems with the critical biocontainment capacity they need to save lives and win the fight against this virus. Germfree and its partners are essential to the mission of national health security.

About Germfree Laboratories, Inc.

Germfree has been manufacturing innovative laboratory solutions for nearly six decades. Our mobile and modular bio-containment units deliver critical laboratory capacity in the US and throughout the world. Germfree is the only manufacturer that provides a single-source, OEM solution for both the laboratory and all critical containment equipment.  Our leading-edge engineering teams and subject-matter experts are located at our 173,000 square foot  (16,000 square meter) manufacturing plant.  Germfree's  turnkey mobile and modular units meet the most stringent bio-containment requirements and provide critical infrastructure for global health security. Established in 1962, Germfree has the most comprehensive track record in deploying advanced laboratory capacity throughout the world.
More info : https://www.germfree.com/

About R.C. Tway Company, LLC

R.C. Tway Company, LLC, is the parent company of six operating divisions: (i) Kentucky Trailer Manufacturing (KTM), which designs, builds and manufactures custom trailers and truck bodies for the moving and storage, snack food, package delivery and logistics industries as well as other niche markets; (ii) Kentucky Trailer Services (KTS), which delivers complete repair, reconditioning, paint, graphics and other services for truck bodies, drop frame and expandable trailers; (iii) Kentucky Trailer Specialty Vehicles (KTSV), which designs, builds and services trailers and custom specialty vehicles for mobile medical, military/government, mobile marketing, motorsports and other niche markets; (iv) AMST, which designs, builds and services specialty vehicles for mobile medical imaging in North and South America; (v) SMIT Mobile Equipment B.V., which designs, builds, and services specialty vehicles for mobile medical imaging in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa; and (vii) KT Pacer, which designs, engineers, manufactures and services custom feed trailers, bodies and equipment.

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SOURCE Germfree Labs