Two Irish companies are coming together to ramp up production of Covid-19 swab testing kits and PPE.
SL Controls and SteriPack are delivering swab testing kits to the US and global market as well as producing surgical masks.
The companies are supporting each other to ensure the delivery of quality Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) into the Irish and global markets.
SL Controls and SteriPack had been working together on other projects but when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, SteriPack started packaging nasal swab kits at its Lakeland Florida operations to meet the overwhelming demand from multiple US and global healthcare agencies.
SL Controls assisted in project management, procurement and delivery of automation and packaging solutions to increase the speed of the swab manufacturing output at the Florida plant.
Swab manufacturing
In Ireland, SL Controls are supporting SteriPack Ireland who are based in Mullingar with the procurement, delivery and validation of equipment for the production of PPE.
SteriPack, which was established over 25 years ago in Ireland, is a contract manufacturer of medical devices and pharmaceutical products.
SL Controls business development manager Shane McLaughlin says “We engaged with SteriPack a number of years ago at their operations and clean room in Mullingar and also in Poland where we worked with them to automate some of their systems.
"However, on the back of the Covid-19 pandemic, the focus broadened to the generation of nasal swabs which were in urgent need.
“The swabs are used for Covid-19 testing and the project will triple the speed of swab manufacturing on several lines."
Meanwhile, Gary Leonard, SteriPack Group operations director, says “When Covid-19 hit, we decided to utilise available capacity and the highly skilled capabilities of our team in order to help supply the global market, in an accelerated timeframe, with essential equipment needed to fight the pandemic."
He said while they continue to produce the medical devices and pharmaceutical products, they felt it was important to expand their capabilities and add various forms of PPE and nasal swabs to their production.
