Two Hessian companies, Virotech Diagnostics Rüsselsheim and Novatec increased immuno-Diagnostica, based in Dietzenbach, have their production capacities for Corona-Tests strong. Both are small, but well-established manufacturer of a range of medical Tests for the identification of different pathogens – since a few weeks, you also have the equipment for the detection of novel Sars-CoV-2 Virus in the program.
Inga Janovi?
business editor of the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.
F. A. Z.
Novatec a PCR Test for the detection of acute infections, of Virotech Elisa Test that makes visible whether a person for antibodies against the Coronavirus in the blood, an infection or even disease has already come. Together, the Hesse, declare that you will not be able to produce equipment for up to 15 million Tests per month.
production in their own country, in order not to be dependent on
Still, the company, the company has been about for the past year under the umbrella of the Gold-Standard-Diagnostics-group as the sister remained, so far, rather under the Radar. Their research teams have almost as fast as the industry leader, such as the Swiss Roche group, evidence, procedures are being developed for the new Virus. In mid-March, reported the Virotech Marketing Boss Julia sour beer had made the developer team to work, only a couple of weeks later, they were able to bring sophisticated methods to the market. Wherein the basic methods belong to the diagnostic Standard, the Innovation lies in the components to the new Virus, to vote and be so sure that, for example, the antibody test can distinguish, against which Coronavirus exactly the Affected person has formed antibodies. “We wanted to make our contribution to the care and containment of the epidemic, initially, there was in the labs a lot to a little test of capacity,” says sour beer. In addition, it seemed to be in the early phase of the pandemic is important, the production in the own country, or in Europe, not to build, to be free from the suddenly hard-to-reach supplier in Asia, depending on.
Meanwhile, there are now the medium-sized companies from the Rhine-Main-area, in particular the international company NOVATEK, which provide much-needed test equipment in the whole world. The transportation by air of freight operating in spite of the limitations in air traffic. From India as well as Brazil and other South American countries, most of the requests, would currently beer says Sauer. However, demand in Germany was going to pay as a result of the current increasing Infection and the end of the trip the time well head back up.
production in Two-shift operation
in order To serve all customers, worked in production in Rüsselsheim and Dietzenbach in a Two-shift operation, as well as additional storage capacities were created and some of the employees. Novatec, which had once been as a family company, founded in, now has 80 employees, in Virotech Diagnostics 100. In both cases only a quarter of the workforce in the research and development, as well as the production is active, the larger part of the workforce takes care of sales and administration.
in aggregate, the partners generated by 2019 nearly 21 million euros in sales. If this 2020 is expected to be higher, is not identified. “Especially in the weeks of the lock downs, the people went significantly less often to the doctor, in addition, also other infection are, of course, been curbed diseases such as the flu,” says sour beer. Less sick meant, of course, fewer Tests in the laboratories.
