People sometimes say that the three most important factors for success in business are location, location, and location. This doesn’t just apply to the lot where you lease office space or construct a building. Where you choose to install your lab equipment within the facility is just as critical. A lack of preplanning can make future renovations much harder than they need to be. Getting a brand new large capacity autoclave inside the third story of an existing structure is a good example of the consequences of haphazard interior design. At first glance, the poorly planned location seems to be an insurmountable obstacle. The machine is too large to be carried through a stairwell or by an elevator, but ‘Where there is a will, there is a way’.

Such was the situation at Teesside University, where there was no lift large enough to replace the old autoclave with the new one they recently bought. Whoever originally developed the plans for the building, which included the lab on the third floor, didn’t foresee the need to ever replace their built in large capacity autoclave. Some autoclave vendors would simply “leave the new one at the building’s doorstep” and “run away”. They would not view the precarious situation as their problem. In contrast, Priorclave decided to take their customer service to the next level by installing the new autoclave properly where it was originally intended.

This took some planning and a little bit of ingenuity. A full installation survey found that the only safe way to get the unit in place on the third floor was to employ a heavy crane to lift it onto a large custom built scaffold. From there, the autoclave could be rolled into place through large shutter doors along the outside wall. The old autoclave would be removed through the same process in reverse.

Fortunately they were able to install the apparatus safely and without too much problem. The circumstance could have been much worse. Imagine if someone had to replace such a large piece of equipment on the 103rd story of the Burj Dubai (currently the world’s largest structure sill under construction). Things might turn out differently.

Practical Experience Makes A Difference

That is why coordinating with an autoclave manufacturer such as Priorclave during the design phase for a new laboratory is crucial. Some people make the mistaken assumption that a closet sized autoclave will somehow last as long as the building. So, they don’t make any allowance for its replacement. Expert advice is usually helpful to guard against this and other possible pitfalls. Click on PharmaceuticalTechnology for additional details.

Such counsel is especially useful coming from PriorClave, a company that has been in existence since 1988 and was founded by a group of laboratory specialists. Their core business is the steam autoclave and they do business all over the world. Over the years they have kept up with all regulations and standard requirements for their industry. Their business has been so successful that they have expanded their manufacturing facility at least twice. They currently have factory space totaling over 2500 square meters.