Recent Acquisition Helps SP Industries To Expand Its Offering In Freeze Dryer Technology Pharmaceutical Online Interview With Debra Sesholtz, SP Industries

The editorial staff at Pharmaceutical Online recently sat down with Debra Sesholtz to discuss SP Industries, how the company globally markets its products through several different brands, and how a recent acquisition helped SP Industries expand its offering in freeze dryer technology. Debra is the Director of Corporate Marketing for SP Industries in Warminster, PA. Enjoy the discussion.

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What are the biggest challenges for SP Industries in today's marketplace?

With the recent rise in energy costs and raw materials, one of our biggest challenges is keeping our manufacturing costs down, so we can minimize product price increases for our customers.

In addition, as the world gets smaller, we are also faced with the challenge of making sure our products are manufactured to meet the varying regulations imposed in different regions of the globe. An example of this would be the RoHS regulations that were implemented in Europe.

Can you explain the product offerings of SP Industries including VirTis, Hull, Hotpack, and Wilmad-Labglass?

SP Industries globally markets its products under the well-known brands of Virtis, Hull, Hotpack, and Wilmad-LabGlass and now FTS. The VirTis brand offers laboratory research equipment including homogenizers, ultrasonic cell disrupters, fermenters and laboratory to production scale freeze dryers. The VirTis brand is now complemented by the recent acquisition of FTS Systems, enabling SP Industries to expand its offering in freeze dryer technology. By contrast, Hull products focus on production scale lyophilizer systems manufactured to cGMP standards as required for the production of human and veterinary pharmaceuticals in accordance to GAMP-4.

Hotpack products are a leading brand in controlled environmental laboratory equipment. Products include environmental chambers, glassware washers and dryers, steam sterilizers, CO2 incubators, and vacuum ovens.

The Wilmad-LabGlass brand includes the industry-leading brand of NMR and EPR sample tubes and accessories in addition to specialty laboratory glassware, flow tubes, and precision glass components for various applications that include lasers, medical instruments, fiber optics, and microwaves.

Our recent acquisition of FTS Systems also gives SP Industries a new line of thermal control products targeted to the semiconductor, telecommunications, aerospace, military, and consumer electronics segments. FTS Systems also adds products for our traditional life science focus, such as the XR Sample Cooler for cooling NMR/EPR samples and the Bio-CoolÒ Controlled Rate Freezer for cryopreservation of human and animal embryos, biological tissue, and cell lines.

How has the increased number of International manufacturing plants affected sales and marketing?

If this refers to the pressures of local competitive manufacturing plants in emerging markets, this of course poses challenges to our sales, marketing, and channel strategy. We look to partner with local companies that can market and sell in the local language and cultural environment in these regions.

What new products or innovations have you excited to rollout in the next 3-6 months?

SP Industries recently rolled out a controls upgrade for our Benchtop K freeze drying system with incorporation of our Sentry II controller. This upgraded controller offers all the features previously offered by two controllers and is the same controller found in our FreezeMobile unit. In the next month we will be introducing our new Hotpack ProCulture line of CO2 Incubators. We also have a number of new NMR tubes coming out to address specific needs of the NMR community. In coming months we look to introduce through FTS Systems upgrades to SMART technology and covered trays for bulk freeze drying.

Is there a product offering from SP Industries that you expect significant interest from in the next 3-6 months? If so, why?

We are excited about our upcoming introduction of the Hotpack ProCulture 150UV CO2 chamber. This unit offers a unique UV sterilization feature enabling the customer to achieve decontamination in 30 minutes, much shorter then other standard methods. Interest in SMART from FTS continues to grow, and we see this continuing as we introduce improvements on the technology.

How would you characterize SP Industries current position in the market?

SP Industries brands represent years of quality and reliability in the marketplace. SP Industries Wilmad-LabGlass brand has been the leader in the manufacture of NMR and EPR sample tubes for over 60 years. While our Hotpack brand is closing in on its 100 year anniversary.

Our VirTis and Hull brands have also held leading positions in the area of freeze dryer technology and we have recently strengthened our position through our acquisition of FTS Systems.

How has SP Industries taken advantage of the biopharmaceutical boom?

SP Industries' products are focused on the biopharmaceutical industry. Our freeze drying products, environmental products, and NMR, EPR, and laboratory glass products as well as the FTS thermal products are all used in biopharmaceutical applications.

Our manufacturing sites are ISO9001:2000. Our production scale lyophilization systems can support 21 CFR 11, are manufactured under cGMP, and meet GAMP-4 requirements.

How would you characterize SP Industries to someone who you is not familiar with your pharmaceutical product offerings?

SP Industries is a global manufacturer of specialty glassware and equipment for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, industrial, academic, and OEM markets. Our products are manufactured under well-known industry brands including Wilmad-LabGlass, Hotpack, VirTis, FTS, and Hull. Our products address needs from laboratory bench scale up to production level.

Our product offerings support pharmaceutical research and production and include the following product categories by brand:

• Wilmad-LabGlass NMR and EPR sample tubes and accessories, specialty and custom glassware, and glassware repair
• Hotpack glassware washers and dryers, vacuum ovens, freezers, stability chambers, and sterilizers
• VirTis and FTS laboratory, pilot-plant, and production scale freeze dryers
• VirTis mechanical homogenizers, ultrasonic cell disrupters, and fermenters
• FTS thermal control products including recirculating chillers, immersion coolers, temperature forcing systems, and control rate freezers
• Hull freeze drying systems engineered and manufactured to pharmaceutical cGMP standards
• We also have a service group, SPTechCare, which offers technical support, training, maintenance, and repair services for all SP products.