Pöppelmann FAMAC® produces important components for COVID-19 tests

Planning meeting at FAMAC®: Sebastian Hannöver (left) is the project manager responsible for the production of the test equipment. (Image: Schümann/Pöppelmann)

Call in the cleanroom: Alexander Neiwert coordinates production details with a colleague. (Image: Schümann/Pöppelmann)

With Lohner Kunststoff expertise against the pandemic: Pöppelmann increases capacities for the production of highly complex components for globally in-demand Corona test kits. In a current online campaign, manufacturer QIAGEN recognizes the Lohner plastic processor as a strong partner in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus.

The globally operating and publicly traded biotechnology company QIAGEN is one of the leading manufacturers of Corona test kits. With the outbreak of the pandemic, the company has multiplied its production capacities – and continues to increase them: By the end of June, the company, headquartered in Hilden near Düsseldorf, aims to increase the production of test accessories for DNA and RNA extraction to over ten million patient tests per month. By October, a further capacity increase for the test kits will follow – up to 20 million patient tests per month.

QIAGEN also relies on the Lohner plastic processor Pöppelmann as a supplier: This is made clear by the biotech company in a current online campaign. Sebastian Hannoever (FAMAC® Sales) and Alexander Neiwert (Head of FAMAC® Cleanroom Production) explain in a video how their daily work has changed due to the Corona pandemic – and what it means for everyone involved in the company to increase production capacities by up to 70 percent within a very short time.

FAMAC® is one of the four divisions of the Lohner plastic processor. In Plant 3, located directly on the A1 in Lohne, Pöppelmann develops and produces technical functional parts for the medical technology and pharmaceutical industries, as well as packaging for the food and cosmetics sectors.

"Plastics play a crucial role in laboratory diagnostics because the materials are durable, hygienic, and corrosion-resistant," emphasizes QIAGEN as part of the campaign. The highly complex components for the Corona tests are manufactured by Pöppelmann in so-called cleanrooms: these are absolutely dust- and germ-free production areas where the highest hygienic standards must be met. Anyone working here may only enter their workplace after passing through a hygiene sluice and wearing protective clothing.

In the QIAGEN online video, cleanroom manager Alexander Neiwert provides insight into this work area. He is currently training additional staff and backup teams, as production must be assured – even in case colleagues are sent into quarantine due to suspected COVID-19. "The fact that these parts are used for the Corona test kits was a very special motivation for us," says Alexander Neiwert in an interview. "The employees know what they are holding in their hands and how important this all is."

Sebastian Hannoever is the QIAGEN project manager in the FAMAC® sales team – and is well known in the region as a successful cyclocross rider. Just as in this extreme sport, FAMAC® always strives for top performance, especially now. The current situation demands around-the-clock production, seven days a week. Sebastian Hannoever describes in the video what motivates everyone on the team: "Together with QIAGEN, we actively contribute to combating the pandemic. It’s a matter of course for us to give our best here – and to push even further every day." Because everyone knows: Fast diagnostics and the comprehensive availability of reliable Corona tests are crucial for containing the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Facebook and on its website, QIAGEN illustrates with many examples how much work is involved in this task. And with regard to Pöppelmann, they write: "Thanks to Sebastian and everyone working harder than ever to improve the availability of COVID-19 tests worldwide."