The laboratory equipment manufacturer Memmert juggles employee protection and responsibility for research

Heating oven, incubators and blanket warmers are system-relevant devices that make an important contribution, especially in the time of a pandemic. Memmert products can be found in hospitals, as well as in research and analysis laboratories. They ensure that samples, infusion solutions and patient blankets are kept at the perfect temperature. Incubators and CO2 incubators, like those produced and supplied by Memmert, are invaluable tools in the current situation regarding the fight against this novel virus.

Take for instance the company QIAGEN, which is one of Memmert’s clients. After the Coronavirus outbreak, QIAGEN developed the first syndromic solution with which to test for COVID-19. The QIAstat-Dx Respiratory SARS-COV-2 Panel is a multiplex nucleic acid test (NAT) that assesses samples, such as a nasopharyngeal smear, from people with suspected respiratory infections. Memmert delivered important devices to the Hilden site, which were used in the production of the test cartridges.

This makes it even more important that Memmert can continue to operate. How is the company itself dealing with the crisis?
The international exchange of goods has been guaranteed continuously since the beginning of the year. At the Memmert distribution office in Shanghai, normal operations have resumed after a four-week shut-down period.
Production in Büchenbach continues, with modified conditions for employees. After the Coronavirus pandemic became known, the initial response was to set up an internal crisis team. The safety of employees, especially of those who are in health risk groups, has top priority.

An example of one of the many measures implemented is that no more face-to-face meetings are to take place at the Schwabach and Büchenbach sites. If you can, work from home, and use video-conferencing software to hold important meetings.

The mandatory minimum distance applies to all colleagues. Strict hygiene regulations must be practised intensively, and door handles and other heavily used surfaces must be disinfected regularly.
For Managing Director Christiane Riefler-Karpa, it is particularly important that employees do not have to worry about looking after their children due to the closure of schools and daycare facilities. There is a solution to this, which is tailored to each individual case, without any red tape. As a mother herself, Riefler-Karpa knows how hard it can be – even in normal circumstances – to get your work-life balance right. “In an extreme situation like the one we are in at the moment, only solidarity can help us. We are well prepared for the challenges ahead and will face them together, but of course while keeping the necessary minimum safety distance.”