In addition to promoting quality assurance in the blood donor service, the goal of the Swiss Red Cross is to increase the stock of blood through regular donations. Because safe blood saves lives!

Giving blood is not (yet) necessarily the norm everywhere

In some regions of the world, people often only donate blood for family members so there is therefore not enough available or it needs to be paid for. There is a need to raise awareness here and encourage people to donate blood for others outside their own families. “If somebody needs my blood, I’m there for them,” says Said Mrad, a voluntary Lebanese blood donor. The 26-year-old is giving blood for the fourth time. Thanks to the work of the SRK in cooperation with the Lebanese Red Cross, he now sees it as completely natural to give his blood for other people.

Blood supplies need to be safe

A professional blood donor service not only needs donors but it also needs suitable products and expert knowledge to ensure high quality standards, maximum safety and wide coverage for this vital service. The SRK’s international experience helps the Lebanese Red Cross a great deal as it establishes this valuable service. Greiner Bio-One is supporting this project through its financial contribution, its products and its expertise.

Focus on further growth

In spite of diffcult market circumstances, currency effects and stagnation with regard to individual key accounts and major orders, business volume achieved the level of the preceding year and profitability maintained at an excellent level – the turnover amounted to 473 million euros In particular, solid growth was achieved in the safety products area and the company gained ground in the regional markets in Southern and Eastern Europe, and South America. However, rising material and raw material prices as well as higher freight costs all served to hinder an even better business development.

“We are preparing for further growth through a significant increase in our production capacities”, Rainer Perneker, CEO Greiner Bio-One International GmbH.

The Asian region is one of Greiner Bio-One’s most important growth markets and for example, in China the company has been able to establish a solid position in the preanalytics field within the Beijing area. In October, a second major step followed with the foundation of an additional branch in Shanghai staffed by a focused and specialized team. The joint aim is to step up efforts in the biosciences market and move closer to the customers in this business segment.

The complete annual report can be found here...

Sustainability as a cross-sectional subject  

Although Greiner has established focal points such as those regarding circular economy and CO2 reduction, the group nevertheless regards sustainability as a cross-sectional subject. Because, as Hannes Moser, the Greiner AG CFO, explains, “Apart from plainly evident areas such as environment-friendly product design and responsible material employment, sustainability also means being a good and reliable employer that appreciates the individuality and diversity of its workforce. Moreover, both sustainable management, which involves long-term and transparent relations with all stakeholders and the securing of profit-oriented growth are matters equally inherent to the sustainability thematic area.”

A focus on circular economy  

During 2018, the various impacts of plastics were dealt with extensively on a European level and initial regulations for the industry followed. Greiner welcomes the new EU plastics strategy and in fact has been working on sustainable solutions for a number of years. Indeed in 2016, which was well before the topic of plastic waste came to dominate the day-to-day media agenda, socially and environmentally acceptable conduct was already anchored within the group through the introduction of the binding “Plastics for Life” sustainability strategy. During 2017, there followed the installation of sustainability management across the entire concern and now comes its first Sustainability Report. Accordingly, group activities aimed at product portfolio modification with respect to recycling capacity, increased innovation in line with sustainability and the establishment of a cyclical economic approach, not only represent measures in accordance with the European strategy for plastics, but go beyond the statutory requirements and constitute key issues with regard to which Greiner leads by example.          

Targets as a corporate development blueprint  

The objectives contained in the Sustainability Report partly extend up to the year 2030. They form a blueprint for the future development of the group and more than meet the demands of the EU’s plastics strategy. The targets from the introduction of an internal carbon pricing system by 2020 and the promise that by 2025 all the plastic packaging manufactured will be suitable for recycling, reuse or composting, to an assurance that all problematic and superfluous plastic packaging will be eliminated and an obligation that by 2025 a considerable percentage of the material employed will emanate from recycling.  Axel Kühner, “The latest example of these endeavors is a shampoo bottle, which is produced entirely from recycled polyolefins. It has an attractive design and offers both optimum product protection and outstanding environmental compatibility. The recycled material for this product, which is also 100 percent recyclable, is obtained from plastic milk bottles that were collected in the UK. In fact, the motto, “designed for recycla-bility” was a primary consideration from the very start of this development.”

It is also worthy of note that the Greiner Sustainability Report foresees the occupation by women of 35% of managerial posts by 2025, as well as a 53% cut in specific CO2 emissions and an increase in the share of renewable energy in electricity purchases to 90% by 2030.  

Further information at: sustainability.greiner.com /  #makingithappen

Download the brand new Greiner Sustainability Report here...

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Greiner 

Greiner is headquartered in Kremsmünster, Austria, and has four operating divisions comprised by Greiner Packaging, Greiner Bio-One, Greiner Foam and Greiner Extrusion. Greiner is one of the leading producers of foam and processors of plastics for the packaging, furniture, sport, automotive, medical technology and pharmaceutical sectors. It also numbers among the top manufacturers of extrusion lines, tools and complete profile extrusion plants. In the 2018 financial year, Greiner achieved sales revenues of EUR 1.631 billion and employed a workforce of roughly 10,700 at 140 locations in 33 countries. The Greiner CEO is Axel Kühner and its CFO is Hannes Moser. www.greiner.com 

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Inquiries: Ute Kliemstein, Head of Group Communications
T: +43 7583 7251-60279; M: +43 664 882 384 51; e-mail: ute.kliemstein@greiner.com

When placing a peripheral catheter there are a few things that are of uttermost importance for the user. The product should be easy to handle, the needle should be sharp and the blood flow prompt. Furthermore the product should always feel the same – no matter which gauge size you are using.

For CLiP® and SWiTCH this means that as a user, you should always be able to trust that the specific features of our products are consistent – giving you the high quality product that is so important for the efficiency of your procedure. Patients and their conditions may vary but our products must always remain consistent to give the user the confidence they need. Our products are designed for user and patient – to contribute to a safe and successful insertion.

An innovative and fully automated production helps us to secure this for our products.

Where are your products manufactured? 

We have a controlled outsourced production. That means that we have chosen the supplier of each critical unit in the production, such as the moulding tools and the assembly machines. Our I.V. catheters CLiP® Neo, CLiP® Winged and CLiP® Ported are manufactured at a state-of-the-art production plant in Asia. Our arterial catheter SWiTCH is manufactured at AMB Industri AB (AMB) in Sweden. AMB is specialised in production, including injection moulding, for the MedTech industry.

Describe your production process – what are the key success factors?

In addition to the carefully selected suppliers and collaboration partners we use and the fully automated process I would like to highlight the actual manufacturing and installation of production machines. We use Swedish-made machines (moulds and assembly) developed in collaboration with selected partners and installed and validated under the on-site supervision of Vigmed staff.

We have a built-in quality assurance system in our machines – a high technology inspection system – controlling all production parameters to perfection. In addition, we perform supervisory control of product functions such as penetration force, separation force, safety features and sterility. All to ensure consistency and high quality for all products reaching our customers.

Finally, in terms of sustainability and environmental issues, how does Vigmed contribute?

Our compact product and packaging design contributes to a small environmental footprint with low transport, handling, storage and waste volumes as well as low material consumption. This is cost effective for the customer, for us and not least for the environment. 

Enjoy reading our new issue of our customer magazine bioLOGICAL!

Greiner in the 2018 financial year: stable development despite a challenging environment

The group’s continuous growth was also mirrored by a successful financial year in 2018. For although faced by challenging business conditions, as compared to 2017 Greiner AG raised its consolidated sales revenues by three percent to EUR 1.631 billion (2017: EUR 1.579 billion).

Apart from the completion of the Greiner Campus, the predominant themes of the past year were the 150th birthday of the family-owned enterprise and the issue of sustainability. Axel Kühner: “2018 was special in many respects, particularly in view of Greiner’s celebration of the 150th anniversary of its foundation. This represented a jubilee founded upon generations of prudent business management, innovative vision and untiring endeavor. Accordingly, with the Greiner Campus in Kremsmünster and our intensive focus upon sustainability, we are paving the way for the next 150 years of success.”

Diversification again proves its worth

As a profit-oriented business group, Greiner seeks to steadily consolidate its market leadership and as Hannes Moser, the Greiner AG CFO, states: “In times of high raw material prices, exchange rate volatility and political uncertainty, the prudence of our diversification strategy was again demonstrated in 2018 for despite a demanding economic environment, we were able to remain on our growth course.” As compared to the preceding year, cash flow was down by EUR 128 million (2017: EUR 148 million); a fall that emanated primarily from plant closures in Carinthia and Baden Württemberg. Nonetheless, all of Greiner’s investments made in the 2018 financial year, including EUR 108 million on tangible assets (2017: EUR 119 million), were again financed from cash flow. On the 31 December 2018 reporting date, Greiner had a workforce of 10,785 (2017: 10,567) at 140 locations (2017: 139) in 33 countries (2017; 33).

A focus on cyclical economics

During 2018, the various impacts of plastics were dealt with extensively on a European level and initial regulations for the industry followed. Greiner welcomes the new EU plastics strategy and in fact has been working on sustainable solutions for a number of years. Indeed in 2016, which was well before the topic of plastic waste came to dominate the day-to-day media agenda, socially and environmentally acceptable conduct was already anchored within the group through the introduction of the binding “Plastics for Life” sustainability strategy. During 2017, there followed the installation of sustainability management across the entire concern and subsequently, the drawing up of the group’s first sustainability report, which describes Greiner’s commitment in detail and will be published this June. Product portfolio modification in the direction of recycling capacity, increased innovation in line with sustainability and activities aimed at establishing a cyclical economic approach, are not only part of the European strategy for plastics, but also central issues with regard to which Greiner leads by example.

Outlook for 2019

The first quarter of 2019 has commenced favorably and Greiner sees the outlook for the rest of the year in a positive light. The fact that owing to its highly diversified product portfolio, Greiner’s corporate development is largely independent from business cycles means that the economic downturn has affected the group less than some other companies. The consolidation of the foam competence, innovation, globalization and diversification, as well as the establishment of a cyclical economy in which at the end of their life cycle raw materials will be returned to the production process in their entirety, will continue to top the agenda for 2019.

the Vigmed product line is now available from Greiner Bio-One!

Both CLiP® and SWiTCH Vigmed brands offer a comprehensive range of winged automatic safety IV or arterial catheters. The products are available in a vast variety of gauge sizes and lengths to meet demanding physical conditions and different clinical needs. 

The products were developed with the user and patient in mind to give excellent penetration characteristics — ensuring product consistency and contributing to a safe, successful insertion.

All catheters have an automatic safety mechanism that requires no additional action by the user. There is a precisely designed bump on the needle which ensures that the safety mechanism is activated.

Advantages at a glance:

CLiP® Neo IV catheters

• Automatic safety mechanism
• Specifically developed for thin veins found in neonatal, paediatric, and elderly patients
• Precisely designed needle notch for quick blood flashback

CLiP® Winged and CLiP® Ported IV catheters

• Automatic safety mechanism
• Suitable for high-pressure injections
• Version with port (CLiP® Ported) for needle-free bolus injection

SWiTCH arterial catheter

• Automatic safety mechanism
• Flow switch for user-controlled blood flow 
• Available in gauge sizes 20G and 22G

Click here for more information!

The company is exhibiting at Europe’s flagship trade fair for innovative laboratory technology with a new logo and demonstrating its cumulative skill set as a leading provider of specialist products for cultivating and analysing cell and tissue cultures.

Its cell culture products such as flasks, dishes, plates and tubes are manufactured using high-quality polystyrene, feature various surfaces for improved cell adhesion and growth, and are free of detectable DNases, RNases, human DNA, endotoxins as well as cytotoxic substances. The well-established CELLSTAR product range, for instance, constitutes a comprehensive repertoire of culture vessels for a string of applications, including standard cell culture, but also genetic engineering, vaccine production, cancer research and viral diagnostics.

Perfect in all dimensions

Greiner Bio-One developed its CELLSTAR cell culture vessels with a cell-repellent surface, which effectively suppress cell adhesion and enable three-dimensional spheroids to develop. As the perfect addition to this, the company provides a magnetic 3D cell culture, in which nanoparticles magnetise the cells by attaching themselves to the cell membrane, with a magnetic platform al-lowing three-dimensional aggregates to rapidly form. Three-dimensionality in a two-dimensional workflow, reproducible spheroid formation, scalability from 6 to 1536 wells, easy exchange of media and compatibility with automation systems – these are just a few of the many benefits this 3D cell culture technology offers laboratory users.

Quantity and quality

Its compact and cylindrical design means the CELLdisc cell culture vessel is just as ideally suited to smaller test series as it is to automation and the scale-up of mass cell cultures in growth areas of between 250 and 10,000 square centimetres. Compared to other multi-layer systems, CELLdisc exhibits an innovative ergonomic design that makes it significantly easier to cultivate adherent mammalian cells.

A visibly better calibre

The CELLview cell culture products for microscopy offer tailor-made solutions for cell culture, immunocytochemistry as well as subsequent microscopic analysis with high magnifications. These products ensure top-quality microscopic imaging of the in vitro cultivated cells, combining the convenience of a disposable plastic product with the high optical quality of a thin embedded glass bottom. The CELLview portfolio includes cell culture dishes, slide formats and 96 well mi-croplates.

Featuring a cycloolefin film bottom, the company’s SCREENSTAR microplates are perfect for demanding microscopy applications, high-content screening or high-resolution microscopy with immersion objectives. Furthermore, their tried-and-tested cell culture surface enables cells to achieve optimum growth.

Trade fair visitors also have the chance to find out about innovative solutions for biobanking, liquid handling and high-throughput screening at the Greiner Bio-One GmbH stand.

Watch the “cell culture rocks” video!

Image: CELLSTARS
The stars rocking the lab are Suspension Sam, Sophisticated Sophie, Adam Automation, TC Tyler and Danny Dish (from left to right).

Greiner Bio-One at Labvolution (Deutsche Messe), Hanover, Germany, 21 to 23 May 2019 in Hall 20, Stand C47

The Preanalytics Global Summit for Best Practices is a leading educational conference for healthcare professionals that collects samples in clinical laboratories or healthcare facilities. The three-day conference (October 7-10) in Las Vegas, Nevada, will provide lab managers and leaders, phlebotomists, educators, nurses, and medical technologists with the opportunity to improve their sampling skills and knowledge, as well as organizational topics such as enhancement of employee relations. 

The Global Summit for Best Practices in Preanalytics offers the participants presentations on two main topics, according to their needs, between which the participants can choose after successful registration: 

• Improving Collection & Competency 
• Managing Your Lab to Peak Productivity

Registration will end on October 6, 2019. Please note that the participation in the Global Summit for Best Practices in Preanalytics is chargeable and self-paid. GBO does not cover the costs of flights, hotels and the event itself.

Inform and register NOW! 

The new office in Jakarta extends over three floors and is located in Signature Park, a large office complex. In the coming months, application experts will be progressively appointed at the company to perform training, workshops and product conversions together with distributors. Advantage Austria plays an important part in raising Greiner Bio-One’s profile as one of the world’s leading producers of medical devices. Its foreign trade promotion office in Jakarta, for example, assisted Greiner Bio-One in producing a market study. 

Opening ceremony in Dirndl and Lederhosen

Some 100 guests joined Greiner Bio-One at The Hermitage Hotel in Jakarta to celebrate the opening of Greiner Bio-One Indonesia KPPA. Manfred Buchberger, CEO of Greiner Bio-One, Günther Stuntner, Sales Area Manager and Application Specialist Nicole Brandstötter wore traditional Austrian dress – Lederhosen and Dirndl – to mark the occasion. Clemens Marchal and Michael Dobersberger from the Advantage Austria foreign trade promotion office in Jakarta officially welcomed Greiner Bio-One to Indonesia’s Austrian business community and presented CEO Manfred Buchberger with the “Austrian A” logo. To bring a taste of Austrian culture to Indonesia, the evening was accompanied by an Austrian band playing accordion and guitar. Of course the event would not have been complete without a rendition of “I’m from Austria”, the unofficial Austrian national anthem.

Nous sommes fiers d'annoncer que Greiner Bio-One a maintenant changé son logo en ligne sur le site www.gbo.com et sur tous les réseaux sociaux existants gérés par Greiner Bio-One.

Rebranding Greiner

Comme Greiner AG l'a déjà annoncé, depuis octobre 2018, il existe de nouvelles spécifications de formulation pour Greiner AG. L'ancienne Greiner Holding AG est devenue Greiner AG et le groupe Greiner est devenu Greiner. Le siège social de Greiner est à Kremsmünster, en Autriche, et possède quatre divisions opérationnelles composées de Greiner Packaging, Greiner Bio-One, Greiner Foam et Greiner Extrusion. Greiner est l'un des principaux producteurs de mousse et transformateurs de plastiques pour les secteurs de l'emballage, du mobilier, du sport, de l'automobile, de la technique médicale et de la pharmacie. L’entreprise compte également parmi les principaux fabricants de lignes d'extrusion, d'outils et d'installations complètes d'extrusion de profilés.

Tube holder with potential

The luer lock feature sets the VACUETTE® SAFELINK apart from the conventional Greiner Bio-One tube holders and makes it particularly suitable for blood collection from venous access devices according to guideline recommendations (Infusion Therapy Standard of Practice, Revised 2016, www.ins1.org). Furthermore, tests show that the secure connection withstands pressures of up to 185mmHg. This, along with the functional design and practical handling could make a significant contribution to efficiency in everyday healthcare situations.

Secure screw connection between holder and collection product

The simple screw connection ensures safe and successful blood collection. With a controlled threading movement, the single-use product connects safely and smoothly to the respective medical device. The VACUETTE® SAFELINK is manufactured from unbreakable plastic, and does not contain natural rubber latex.

Regular improvements and innovations at Greiner Bio-One

Greiner Bio-One uses targeted market monitoring as the basis for implementing ongoing enhancements, so its product portfolio is regularly optimised and expanded. The range of accessories already includes various tube holders, from the standard holder through to the safety version. The VACUETTE® SAFELINK holder is a perfect addition to the product line with its screw system for a secure connection.

Order information:

Item no. 450210 - VACUETTE® SAFELINK Holder with male luer lock, single-packed, not made with natural rubber latex.

For further information, please have a look into our Product Flyer:

VACUETTE® SAFELINK Product Flyer - German Version

VACUETTE® SAFELINK Product Flyer - English Version

VACUETTE® SAFELINK Product Flyer - French Version

Advantages

• Stabilisation immediately after collection for 48 hours
• Based on the in vivo value (almost 100 %)
• Avoids false negative diagnoses of diabetes patients
• Stabilisation allows for longer transport and storage times

The unique additive mixture is what makes the difference

The citrate/citric acid buffer ensures a quick stabilisation of the blood sample. The glycolysis is catalysed and suppressed. Therefore, the blood sugar is held constantly at the in vivo value  . Due to the sodium fluoride additive contained in the VACUETTE® FC Mix Tube, inhibition is extended to 48 hours. Additionally, the Na2-EDTA is included as an anticoagulant, which is effective due to complexation of Ca++. 

The almost full inhibition of glycoloysis in the VACUETTE® FC Mix Tube means that diagnosis is a much more reliable process than before. The stabilisation is carried out in whole blood and therefore does not require immediate centrifugation. Unlike in tubes with liquid additives, the finely granulated additive does not cause a dilution effect.

As such, the VACUETTE® FC Mix Tube is the ideal tool for reliably detecting diabetes and taking appropriate measures to combat the condition.

Further information about our VACUETTE® FC Mix Tube can be found in the Download Center.

Greiner was also represented at the event by engineer Markus Riepl with an exhibition area on the subject of "Enzymatic Recycling". Special bacteria can degrade PET (polyethylene terephthalate) with the help of their enzymes. The resulting degradation products can in turn be used as a raw material to produce plastic granulate. The use of these special enzymes to recycle plastics therefore makes it possible to take a step towards a sustainable, closed cycle of recyclable materials.

At the Ars Electronica Festival, there was an interesting exchange of information on this topic with visitors from all over the world.

The Greiner Group, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this June, dates back to a small general store founded by Carl Albert Greiner and his wife Emilie in Nürtingen in 1868. It is now a globally successful family business that has over 10,000 employees in 34 countries and its holding company is based in Kremsmünster, Austria. Some 330 employees work at the German site in Frickenhausen, making it an important employer in the Esslingen district.

Fast coagulation increases quality and efficiency

The quality of a laboratory is frequently measured by how many samples can be processed within a given time. The indicator is the turnaround time (TAT), i.e. the time between an analysis being ordered and receipt of the results¹. That time is radically reduced by using the VACUETTE® CAT Serum Fast Tube. Thanks to the short coagulation time of just 5 minutes, followed by centrifugation for 5–10 minutes, the analysis of key clinical chemical parameters can begin after just 10–15 minutes, allowing reliable results to be attained far quicker. That is a major time saving compared to the usual duration of 40 minutes when using conventional tubes.The added gel forms a stable barrier between the serum and the cellular components of the whole blood after centrifugation. The sample quality is better preserved thanks to the short coagulation time. Coagulation takes just 5 minutes, which virtually rules out post clotting in the laboratory. As a result, preanalytical errors are reduced and accurate values can be used for diagnosis.

Serum vs. plasma

“Owing to the fast turnaround time, plasma tubes continue to be used for many analyses. How-ever, determination of certain parameters on the basis of plasma is not appropriate for some tests,” says Dietmar Leichtfried, Team Leader Research & Development / Preanalytics at Greiner Bio-One. In some cases, incorrect values may result from the presence of anticoagu-lants or fibrinogen in the plasma tube. The use of serum is therefore indispensable in many cases.

VACUETTE® CAT Serum Fast for doctor’s surgeries

The tube also lends itself to use at doctor’s surgeries. Analyses that are performed on site can be evaluated more quickly, reducing waiting times for both the doctor and patient. Thanks to the short coagulation time, blood collection is also possible shortly before transport to the laboratory.

“The special tube additive”

The VACUETTE® CAT Serum Fast Tube is coated with a mixture of Blood Clotting Activator (BCA) and thrombin. Thrombin, as an accelerator, speeds up the coagulation process. 

Source:
¹ medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/turnaround+time

New challenges

Jakob Breuer, who previously had overall management responsibility at an international packag-ing manufacturer and was technical manager of the European business, is looking forward to the new challenge: “Greiner Bio-One is a cutting-edge high-tech company. I hope my experience in automation and plant optimisation can help successfully shape developments for the future.”

But not only in Kremsmünster, as well as internationally, a lot of things were set up for the anniversary celebration. In the Netherlands, for example, a colorful family, food & fun festival was organized with numerous attractions such as face painting for the children, a boat trip and a Flyboard Air performance.

Greiner Bio-One France celebrated 150 years of Greiner with a balloon ride over Paris and a meal at the restaurant 58 at the Eiffel Tower. Our subsidiary in Hungary provided the celebrating crowd with an entertaining dance show and then enjoyed a delicious cake.Greiner Bio-One would like to thank all contributors, organizers and visitors for a successful celebration day!

Take a look at the #GreinerGlobalDay at Greiner Bio-One in pictures!

Winged Needle Set for Safe Blood Collection

Each of the VACUETTE® SAFETY Winged Sets is equipped with a safety mechanism. For greater flexibility, there are three different options for activating the safety mechanism immediately after blood collection. The clearly audible click confirms that the needle is safely and irreversibly locked in the safety shield. To give the user more choice, the safety blood collection set is available both with and without a pre-assembled Blood Culture Holder. The transparent product design provides optimal blood flow visibility. 

Lower Risk of Needlestick Injuries

Around a third of all occupational incidents in healthcare involve needlestick injuries. Nurses are at particular risk of being infected by blood-borne diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. It is therefore advisable to use safety products for taking blood samples in order to lower the risk of needlestick injuries. 

Download the Brochure here.

In the 2017 financial year, a cash flow of 67 million euros was generated. At the end of the year, there were 2,247 employees worldwide at Greiner Bio-One.

Turnover and cashflow:

2013 – 2017, figures are given in EUR millions

Click here for more information

• Improving Sample Collection
• Improving Your Laboratory Environment

Registration will end on October 15, 2018. Please note that the participation in the Global Summit for Best Practices in Preanalytics is chargeable and self-paid. GBO does not cover the costs of flights, hotels and the event itself.

Inform and register NOW!

This year’s exhibits include Sapphire pipettes for liquid handling, boasting impressive user-friend-liness and precision, the 5 ml centrifuge tubes, which are an optimum addition to the portfolio of reaction vessels and tubes, and the new single-layer cell culture vessel from the proven CELLdisc range.In the field of microscopy, Greiner Bio-One is also showcasing a wide variety of carefully designed CELLview cell culture products with a glass bottom in the form of slides, dishes and plates. The complete portfolio for 3D cell culture is also being exhibited at Analytica 2018. Cell culture vessels with a cell-repellent surface enable the cultivation of cells into three-dimensional structures and represent a perfect platform for magnetic 3D cell culture.Visitors will also be able to find out more about all the high-tech products for biobanking. With its Cryo.s biobanking tubes, 8-channel decapper and rack scanner, Greiner Bio-One offers perfectly coordinated solutions for sample storage with high throughput and in automated storage systems.

Successful development
The BioScience division of Greiner Bio-One, headquartered in Frickenhausen in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, specialises in the development, production and sale of high-quality plastic laboratory products. Greiner Bio-One is part of the Greiner Group, one of the leading companies in the plastics and foam industries, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.

This year’s exhibits include Sapphire pipettes for liquid handling, which combine exceptional features in ergonomics and performance. The high-quality air-displacement pipettes are the perfect addi-tion to the well-established pipette tips that Greiner Bio-One has been producing and marketing for over 30 years.

Ergonomic and practical
Manual Sapphire single and multi-channel pipettes combine cutting-edge technology with ul-tralight design. They ensure optimum ergonomics, handling and stability for day-to-day use. The colour-coded push button can be operated with minimal effort, as the innovative soft-spring tech-nology reduces the energy required. This makes for light work, even on long days in the labora-tory. The head of the multi-channel pipette can be rotated 360 degrees and thus enables easy pipetting in any position. The pipette with its robust stainless steel tip ejector is fully autoclavable.

Accurate and reliable
The special handle design reduces the negative impact of hand warmth, thereby increasing ac-curacy and precision. The freely rotating push button enables fast setting of the required volume but prevents unintentional re-setting. The volume is easy to read thanks to the large display. Sapphire pipettes in combination with Greiner Bio-One pipette tips meet the DIN EN ISO 8655 standard and various GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) requirements. They are available as single, 8- and 12-channel pipettes and can be used with all standard pipette tips.

The single-layer CELLdisc can be used as a reference device to monitor cell morphology, adher-ence and confluence, thus enabling quick and easy decisions on media changes or cell harvests for all CELLdisc formats, which are cultivated under identical conditions. Beside this application, the single-layer version can also be used as an alternative to a tissue culture flask with a growth area of up to 250 square centimetres.

The single-layer CELLdisc is an addition to the CELLdisc portfolio, which is currently available with 4, 8, 16 and 40 layers. Its compact, robust and cylindrical design means CELLdisc is just as suited to smaller test series as it is for automation and the quantifiable scale-up of mass cell cultures in growth areas of between 250 and 10,000 square centimetres.
The surface treatment of the vessels in combination with the central gas channel which facilitates active or passive gas-sing as well as the filter port for pressure equilibration support optimum cell growth.

The innovative ergonomic CELLdisc design significantly simplifies the cultivation of mammalian cells. Only a few steps are required to cultivate cells – the vessel is filled with cell suspension, the screw cap is closed and CELLdisc is tilted on its side so that the screw cap is at the lowest position and fluid spreads evenly at all levels. CELLdisc is then rotated 90 degrees simply by rolling. In this way, liquid transfer through the connecting channel is impeded to ensure that an equal amount of media stays in each individual layer. From this position, CELLdisc can be straightened up and placed on a horizontal surface into an incubator.

This year’s exhibits include two new 5 ml reaction tubes. They are fitted with either a snap cap for fast opening and closing or a screw cap for secure sample storage. The external diameter and shape of the conical tubes correspond to standard 15 ml tubes, thus making them compatible with the respective laboratory equipment.

Reliable handling
The key advantage of this tube size is that the tube interior can be accessed without risk of con-tamination when pipetting standard volumes of samples. The tubes are made of ultraclear poly-propylene and also have frosted, writable surfaces, thereby ensuring reliable sample identification in day-to-day laboratory work. Sample integrity is ensured by using tested, resistant polypropyl-ene, and the user-friendliness is rounded off by resealable bags.

We are happy to answer your questions about our customer magazine bioLOGICAL at the following e-mail address marketingat.gbocom.

Have a look into the new magazine here...

Registration with e-mail address and password

The registration in the online shop has been simplified and a customer number is not required anymore to enter the user account.

Simplified navigation on the website

The navigation has been improved and made clearer.

Product Overview & Shopping Cart

The product overview and the shopping cart appear in a new design. The shopping cart can also be loaded from the individual product pages.

In the US, the One Time Customer feature was also implemented.

In the workshop that followed the participants interactively dealt with the following topics:

• Digital mobility in the preanalytical process
• Value Added Services – Big Data as Enabler
• Improving patient safety – technological framework for the digital integration of medication

Together, facts were discussed, ideas were collected and possible cooperations explored. "The workshop was an exciting meeting of potential industry partners, our customers and representatives of science. The exchange of experiences and ideas on the digital topics which we have focused on brought interesting new approaches. We will now evaluate these in our innovation process and prepare those topics with the highest potential for implementation“, says Christoph Rampetsreiter.

All in all, the successful event provided exciting insights into the company. Participants shared ideas on topics for the future and gained new perspectives.

From GeT perfect to be perfect with our barcode tubes for more safety and efficiency: Find out more about Greiner eHealth Technologies, its software solution and barcode tubes for a complete, process-optimized system.

Furthermore, the images of all products were updated and the filling volume of our 4 ml gel tubes was reduced to 3.5 ml to strengthen the robustness, for example, in transportation.

Browse through our new Preanalytics catalogue here...

Improved workflows and communication

Employees moved into their new offices in the first two weeks of October. “The spacious, bright design of the offices, meeting rooms, and meet-up zones really makes a fantastic difference in my daily work,” said Doris Gintner, a Greiner Bio-One employee, of her new workplace.Departments that were formerly situated at a considerable distance from one another within a building, and sometimes even located at different sites, have now been merged at the organizational level into a single building. “This allows for optimized workflows, shorter communication channels, and greater efficiency during the implementation of projects. The laboratory will also be moved from Rainbach to Kremsmünster to leverage these same benefits,” said Perneker. 

Sustainable investment

The new company building stands out not just for its modern design, but also for its highly efficient use of resources. “We see taking active responsibility for people and the environment as one of our most important duties. If we want to continue to be successful in the future, we need to focus on sustainability in everything we do. This conviction is also reflected in the design and implementation of our site expansion,” noted Axel Kühner, CEO of the Greiner Group. 

A focus on optimal training conditions and open communication

The expansion into the Greiner Campus will create a modern office environment with state-of-the-art workspaces. Open workspaces will be available for interdisciplinary projects and will promote communication and the exchange of ideas across both team and departmental lines. Creating an optimal work environment is also at the heart of the new training center. “Qualified and committed employees are the most important asset a successful company can have. By constructing our training center, we are emphasizing the high value we place on training at Greiner, which extends from apprenticeships, to training for specialist staff, and all the way to a comprehensive range of educational opportunities for all employees,” said Kühner. Cutting-edge trainee workshops will be built for the apprentices, and new seminar and event rooms will create additional space for the education and further training of current and future employees. “Training for apprentices is part of our regional and social responsibility. That is why the Greiner Group trains more young people each year than the company is able to employ,” noted Kühner.

Timeless architecture and sustainable construction techniques

The Greiner Campus is being constructed by the “F2 Architekten” architectural firm based in Schwanenstadt. The site expansion stands out for its environmentally-friendly, rectilinear design. “Clear lines and timeless architecture unite the new construction with the existing buildings to form a harmonious whole. Bright, well-lit interiors and the modern room layout create a pleasant and contemporary office environment. The varied design vocabulary of the new buildings, together with the architecture of the current structures, reflect the group’s diversity,” noted Markus Fischer of F2 Architekten.

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About the Greiner Group 

The Greiner Group with headquarters in Kremsmünster, with its four operative business units (Greiner Packaging International GmbH, Greiner Bio-One International GmbH, Greiner Foam International GmbH, Greiner Extrusion Group GmbH) is among the leading foam producers and plastics processors for the packaging, furniture, sports and automotive industry, as well as for medical technology, the pharmaceuticals sector and the leading manufacturers of extrusion tools and machines for plant engineering. The Greiner Group earned sales revenues of EUR 1.475 billion in the financial year 2016 and employed more than 9,700 people at 134 operating sites in 30 countries. The Chairman of the Management Board of the Greiner Group is Axel Kühner, the CFO is Hannes Moser. www.greiner.at

Further enquiries:

Ute Kliemstein, Head of Group Communications
T: +43 7583 7251-60279; C: +43 664 882 384 51; email: ute.kliemstein@greiner.at

Optimum patient safety is a primary objective for gespag and its eight clinics. A priority we uphold 365 days a year. By successfully implementing the new GeT solutions in LKH Steyr hospital, and subsequently in all gespag locations, gespag has taken another important step towards meeting future demands with innovative Solutions.
“The strategic partnership between gespag and Greiner Bio-One has successfully created a worldwide best practice for digital sample processing. The international interest of medicinal technology experts confirms our pioneering role in blood sampling system solutions,” Axel Kühner, Chairman of the Board for the Greiner Group says.
“Greiner Bio-One has long recognized the signs of the times, banking on pre-analysis digitalization for blood sampling. This covers the entire process, from sample request to transmitting the results. GeT ingeniously connects blood sampling – one of our core functions -  with the software it has developed. Therefore, together with international partners such as laboratory information system manufacturers, we are making an essential contribution to increasing sample and treatment quality,” Manfred Buchberger, Managing Director of analytics for Greiner Bio-One proclaims.
 
Paradigm shift in sampling Patient advantages and added value

In practice, digitalization means that all sampling tubes will now carry a barcode. Thus, manual tube labelling and other administrative steps routinely taken by nursing personnel around the world are history.
Blood sampling begins with identifying the patient. Besides verbal communication, this is also done by scanning the armband ID. The patient’s name is no longer on the tube, which guarantees 100% data protection.
The lab order is also scanned automatically, indicating the required sample containers.
When drawing blood, nursing staff can see at a glance which tubes must be taken out in which order. In the final step, the respective sample barcodes are matched with the patient ID, stored in the system, which automatically initiates the lab order.
 
Zero mismatching risk and perfect sample Quality

“Hence, lab experts know if they’re using the correct sampling tube. Mixing up samples or making false analyses is ruled out,” Walpurga Auinger, Head of Nursing for the gespag pilot hospital says, corroborating the essential advantage of digitalization. She continues, “Furthermore, the automatic recording technology makes it easy to see exactly when the sample was taken. This is crucial for analyses as it establishes parameters that could change over time. For example, if too much time elapses between sampling and analysis, the resulting values could be incorrect. The new system eliminates sample aging.”
Moreover, efficient blood management allows us to study as many laboratory parameters as possible from the amount of blood we have available, making it unnecessary to draw too much from the patient.
 
Rollout is well underway

“Due to the positive empirical data collected by experts at both Steyr Hospital surgical stations, expansion to other departments began in April. As soon as the digitalization procedure has been entirely implemented at LKH Steyr, step by step rollout will begin at all gespag hospitals,” gespag Chairman Mag. Karl Lehner declares.

Learn more about Greiner eHealth Technologies

MiniCollect® Complete tubes simplify the analysis process

For centrifugation, the MiniCollect® tubes can be threaded into a PREMIUM carrier tube using a simple rotational movement. In the Complete version, the MiniCollect® tube is already irreversibly assembled in the carrier tube. This brings many advantages for sample analysis in instruments. 

When combined, the dimensions correspond to a standard 13x75 mm tube format. This allows the tube to be placed directly into a standard centrifuge adapter. Previously, it was necessary to adjust the settings on the analysis device because the tube format was different for venous and capillary blood samples. The combined tube means that both capillary and venous blood samples can now be analysed in the same way without complex modification of the device. Another advantage is that the carrier tubes can be identified using standard label formats. MiniCollect® Complete are primary tubes. Both blood collection and subsequent analyses can be carried out using the same tube. It is not necessary to transfer the sample material to a secondary tube for analysis.

The new cap on the tube is a particularly important feature. The membrane can be pierced by a cap-piercing analysis needle while the cap is closed, before automatically resealing after the needle is removed. It is not necessary to remove the cap first, thereby improving the level of hygiene. The caps are completely sealed, meet the highest standards and can be sent via pneumatic post with confidence, and without losing any sample material.

Combined filling volume for greater flexibility

Combined filling volumes for the EDTA and serum tubes make the preparation of samples more straightforward. Two easily visible filling marks on the tube provide greater flexibility for use. It is no longer necessary to decide on a certain volume in advance, which reduces logistical efforts.

Integrated blood collection scoop means accessories are no longer needed

The awkward process of transferring the drop of blood using capillary tubes or funnels is now also a thing of the past, thanks to the MiniCollect® System. The special feature here is the blood collection scoop integrated into the wide tube opening. In this way, the drop of blood can be transferred to the MiniCollect® primary tube quickly and easy, minimising adhesion. The sample immediately comes into contact with the additive inside the tube.

Avoid unnecessary agitation

The sight of a puncture needle often causes anxiety in children. “One of the main advantages for our young patients is that the safety mechanism of the MiniCollect® safety lancets means that no needle is visible at any point before or after the puncture. This makes the situation more relaxing for all involved,” explains Petra Langmayr, former paediatric nurse and product special-ist at Greiner Bio-One. The puncture can either be carried out by pressing the Lancelino safety lancet down on the puncture site (contact-activated safety lancet) or by pressing down the release button (pressure-activated safety lancet). After the puncture, the needle retracts auto-matically and is safely enclosed within the plastic casing. The risk of needlestick injuries is prevented.

Product availability depends on country-specific registrations.

Further information from:
Peter Föttinger, Corporate Marketing Manager
Tel.: +43 7583 6791-1150 E-Mail: peter.foettinger@gbo.com

Europe, accounting for rounded 75 percent of sales, is the Greiner Group’s core market, followed by North America and Asia with 10 percent each. “Tapping new markets remains a central topic. Besides the USA, we are focused on the BRICS states, as these markets will record a stronger growth than Europe in the medium to long term,” explains Kühner. In 2016, Greiner Packaging founded a joint venture with a packaging company in India. The company thereby positioned itself on the Indian market with food packaging that is used in the dairy industry. The expansion of the Greiner Bio-One production site in Brazil was completed as planned in the fall of 2016. Greiner Bio-One integrated sales and distribution for Italy into its own organization by taking over a distribution partner of many years. In addition, the company founded its own sales office in Turkey. To also be able in the future to process orders from large automobile manufacturers that are to be satisfied on a global level, Greiner Foam International founded joint ventures in China and Mexico in 2016.
 
“Plastics for Life” for the responsible handling of plastics

The Greiner Group actively lives up to its responsibility as a plastics processor. Under the title “Plastics for Life”, a Group-wide sustainability process was implemented. “Plastics make our daily lives simpler in many areas. But we also know that our products can contribute to environmental pollution if they are not disposed of correctly. We therefore want to raise awareness for the best possible handling of plastics,” Axel Kühner, Chairman of the Management Board of Greiner Group, explains. “Innovation is an important lever for sustainability. We see great potential in innovative and sustainable product solutions that deliver an added value for our customers,” CFO Hannes Moser adds. Plastics should be used anywhere where the material offers advantages over other materials, for example, by saving CO2 because of its low weight during transport. Likewise, plastic waste as a resource for manufacturing new products is a central topic in the context of the company’s sustainable orientation.
 
Outlook 2017

“In spite of difficult framework conditions, we had a good start into the financial year 2017. Especially in the foam division, we are confronted with disproportionally high raw materials prices. In light of this, we expect modest growth for 2017,” says Moser. The successfully adopted globalization strategy will also be continued in the current financial year – both by means of intense working of existing markets as well as by tapping new markets.
On or about May 5, 2017, Greiner Bio-One takes over 67.75 percent of shares of Vigmed Holding AB, a development and trade company for safety IV catheters located in Helsingborg, Sweden. For the first time in company history, Greiner Group takes over shares of a listed company. “Through the majority shareholding in Vigmed, Greiner Bio-One is expanding its product portfolio with IV catheters. The already existing, strong distribution network of Greiner Bio-One is to be utilized for being successful in the market with the product,” explains Chairman of the Board, Axel Kühner.
In the first quarter of 2017, 70 percent of the shares in Plastic System, a Russian packaging specialist with operating site in Noginsk, near Moscow, was taken over by Greiner Packaging. Greiner Packaging thus continues to expand its market share in Russia and its product portfolio. Additionally, Greiner aerospace is expanding its competency with the acquisition of CarTrim, a German specialist for cabin components of aircraft. “The integration of the new acquisitions, the expansion to new markets and the continuous implementation of the sustainability strategy in operations will keep us very busy in the current financial year,” says Kühner.
 
The Greiner Group furthermore invests strongly in the Upper Austrian site. The groundbreaking for the expansion of the headquarters in Kremsmünster will take place in the fall of 2017. Overall EUR 16 million will be invested in the construction. Besides a new trainee center, office areas, open work spaces and the site’s own employee bistro will be built on the modern Greiner Campus. Its completion is planned for early 2019.
 
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About the Greiner Group
The Greiner Group with headquarters in Kremsmünster, with its four operative business units (Greiner Packaging International GmbH, Greiner Bio-One International GmbH, Greiner Foam International GmbH, Greiner Extrusion Group GmbH) is among the leading foam producers and plastics processors for the packaging, furniture, sports and automotive industry, as well as for medical technology, the pharmaceuticals sector and the leading manufacturers of extrusion tools and machines for plant engineering. The Greiner Group earned sales revenues of EUR 1.475 billion in the financial year 2016 and employed more than 9,700 people at 134 operating sites in 30 countries. The Chairman of the Management Board of the Greiner Group is (DH) Axel Kühner (MBA), the CFO is Mag. Hannes Moser. www.greiner.at