In Brief
Chelsea Expands Manufacturing Services
Chelsea Instruments Ltd. (West Molesey, Surrey, UK) has expanded its manufacturing facilities and updated its computer resources. The firm, which specializes in instrument development, has expertise in fluorimetry, spectrophotometry, mechanical and industrial design, data acquisition, signal processing, temperature measurement and control, and sensor development. It has recently been contracted by Tepnel Life Science to produce DNA analysis systems that automate many DNA-manipulation operations. For additional information, contact Chelsea Instruments Ltd., 2/3 Central Ave., West Molesey, Surrey KT8 2QZ, UK; phone: +44 181 9410044; fax: +44 181 9419319.
Sherwood-Davis and Geck Expands Production
A subsidiary of American Home Products, Sherwood-Davis and Geck (St. Louis, MO, USA) is investing $27.3 million to expand production and introduce new products at its Ballymoney facility in Northern Ireland. Sherwood manufactures approximately 400 products at that facility, including disposable syringes and hypodermic needles, lancets, and blood collection tubes, for distribution in 45 European, African, and Middle Eastern countries.
Albert Sherrard, plant manager for Sherwood, states, "We see significant opportunity to assist the group's European marketing and sales operations by providing customers with more flexible access to a wider range of products, particularly those currently being manufactured in the United States." A line of high-tech products currently under development will require additional expansion of the facility in the future, adds Sherrard.
For more information, contact Sherwood-Davis and Geck, 20 Garryduff Rd., Ballymoney Co., Antrim BT53 7AP, Northern Ireland, UK; phone: +44 12656 63234; fax +44 12656 64799.
Dorset Tube Certified to ISO 9002
Dorset Tube's quality systems have been certified by Lloyds Register Quality Assurance to be in compliance with ISO 9002. A measure of the firm's commitment to the production of high-quality products, notes marketing director Mark Thompson-Tur, is the fact that approval was granted without a single audited instance of noncompliance. "Any quality manager involved in the 'metal-bashing' industry will appreciate how rare such an event is," says Thompson-Tur. For more information, contact Dorset Tube Company Ltd., Thrush Rd., Parkstone, Poole, Dorset B12 4NT, UK; phone: +44 1202 742668; fax: +44 1202 748845.
Rafi Acquires PIM
Rafi GmbH & Co. (Ravensburg, Germany), a manufacturer of push buttons, control components, signal lamps, and operating panels, has acquired PIM Industrie (Marckolsheim, France). The French company has been a leading manufacturer of membrane keyboards and switching systems since 1961.
With this takeover, Rafi hopes to reinforce its position in France, round out its product line, and extend its screen-printing and foil-processing production capacity.
In addition, Rafi will acquire a technology developed by PIM Industrie that involves the back-spraying of deep-drawn overlays.
For more information, contact Artur Krug, Rafi GmbH & Co., Ravensburgerstr. 128-134, D-88276 Berg/Ravensburg, Germany; phone: +49 751 89-0; fax: +49 751 891300.
Vista Optics to Distribute Glasflex Materials
Vista Optics Ltd. (Stockport, UK), one of the UK's leading contact lens laboratories and manufacturers, has been appointed exclusive European distributor of Glasflex Electroglas 2 and 4 and bP-Flex PMMA. Glasflex (Sterling, NJ, USA), a division of Polycast Technology Corp., has been manufacturing contact lenses for more than 35 years.
For more information, contact Simon Walker, Vista Optics Ltd., Horsfield Way, Bredbury, Stockport SK6 2RJ, UK; phone: +44 161 4940002; fax: +44 161 4948173.
Biosciences Marketing Brings GMP to Europe
The European medical device manufacturing community will soon be enjoying easier access to a variety of labeling products. Biosciences Marketing Ltd. (Sutton Valence, Kent, UK) was recently appointed the European distributor for GMP Labeling Inc. (Sunnyvale, CA, USA).
Available products include more than 100 printed labels, signs, and GMPrint, a Windows/DOS software programme that allows information to be added to blank or headed labels. Calibration Manager, a programme used to control equipment calibration, and Regs, a searchable disk containing FDA current GMP regulations, can also also be supplied by the distributor.
For more information, contact Biosciences Marketing Ltd., Sutton Valence, Kent ME17 3BS, UK; phone: +44 1622 842817; fax: +44 1622 844691.
