Cork tech firm scrubs up well for global pharma opportunity

9 Jun 2010

A Cork technology company whose technology enables the dispensing of clean, hygienic gowns for use in hospital theatres worldwide has diversified into the pharmaceutical industry, the company said.

O‘Flynn Medical has announced plans to launch the scrubEX system into the Irish pharmaceutical market. scrubEX is an easy to operate gown management system which can be customised to meet the needs of the individual plant and/or department. To date, the system has been primarily used in hospital theatres worldwide.

The system, already in use in Limerick Regional Hospital, is setting the benchmark standards in gowning by using modern technology in an innovative approach to the prevention of instances of contamination through the misuse of protective clothing.

scrubEX encourages the establishment of a strong anti-contamination process that is both reliable and completely traceable.

Employees simply swipe their security badge/ID and the relevant protective clothing is dispensed.

A separate receiver unit allows for the contained disposal of used items, thus reducing the danger of contamination, or product being transported through the plant. The system also completely eliminates the waste normally associated with gown management.

Elaborating on the company’s plans to move into the pharmaceutical sector, managing director Tadhg O‘Flynn explained: “Like all companies, we need to find a new market for our products.

“As nine of the Top 10 global pharmaceutical companies are located in Ireland, employing more than 29,000 people directly and indirectly, it makes sense to expand into this market.”

In an environment when all industries are being affected by the global recession, the scrubEX system offers companies considerable financial advantage with a typical annual saving of €66,300 and a reduction in employee downtime.

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com