Trio merge to form Genzyme Biosurgery
Biomatrix, Genzyme Tissue Repair and Genzyme Surgical Products have united to form Genzyme Biosurgery, which will focus on producing biomaterials and biotherapeutic products that are used in surgical and medical procedures. The new company will focus on bio-orthopedics and cardiothoracic surgery. LB
Labconco celebrates 75th anniversary
Labconco Corp. (Kansas City, MO) a privately owned manufacturer of scientific equipment celebrates 75 years in business. Ralph Callaway and Philip Goldfisch founded the company, originally named Laboratory Construction Co., in 1925. Today, the company employs more than 200 people and manufactures 16 product lines. LB
Asyts nets multimillion-dollar order for automation system
Asyst Technologies (Fremont, CA) has received a multimillion-dollar order from 1st Silicon (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. for its fab-wide automation system at the 200mm operation in Kuching, Malaysia. The order includes Asyst's SMIF-LPT line of products, minienvironments, Smart-Traveler's System for automated lot ID and Smart Storage System. The products are intended for wafer production, starting with 0.25-micron digital and mixed-signal CMOS technologies followed by 0.18-micron and below. The projected date of installation at the 90,000-square-foot cleanroom was May 2000. LB
DNA testing for cancer to soar
The use of DNA markers to test for cancerous tumors is expected to soar in the next three to five years, according to a study from Theta Reports. The World Market for Cancer Diagnostics explores the technologies for advanced tumor markers and other cancer diagnostics. According to the report, several factors are influencing the growth of tumor marker markets, including increased financing for biotech companies, technological innovation in diagnostic practice, government funding for basic disease-related research, increased R&D spending by biotech and pharmaceutical companies, and escalating healthcare spending. LB
MJM expands operations
In response to market demand for its contract manufacturing services, MJM Solutions Inc. is expanding its manufacturing operations into a new 11,000-square-foot facility located in Fremont, CA. The company will retain its corporate headquarters where it will continue engineering and prototyping activities. The company assists customers with a range of development activities from systems prototype design and testing through product engineering. LB
Meat/poultry members wanted for advisory committee
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (Washington, DC) is seeking nominations for membership on the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection. Producers, processors, marketers, exporters and importers of meat and poultry products, members of academia, state government officials and consumers are urged to apply. Nomination packages must include a brief summary explaining the nominee's suitability to serve on the committee and a resume. These should be postmarked no later than June 30 and sent to Margaret Glavin, Associate Administrator, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 331-E, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700. JK
M+W Zander receives major order from Singapore
The Jenoptic subsidiary is to build the new chip production facility, named Fab 7, for Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd. The total order is valued at approximately 300 million DM. As the general contractor, M+W Zander will carry out the design, planning and construction of the entire facility, which will begin production in mid-2001. The new building will encompass a floor area of 74,000 square meters, of which 20,000 are to be cleanroom areas. Initially intended to product 200mm wafers, the facility is flexibly designed to allow for a future 300mm process equipment technology upgrade. LB
Sprout warnings suggested
A Salmonella outbreak in Northern California prompted Marler Clark, a Seattle law firm, to ask the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to require warnings on packaging of all raw sprouts.
“According to the FDA's own 1999 advisory 'Recommendations on Sprouted Seeds,' sprouts have been increasingly implicated in foodborne illness outbreaks,” says William Marler, the firm's managing partner. According to Marler, the warning should mirror the one currently used on unpasteurized juices as follows: “WARNING: This product may contain harmful bacteria that can cause serious illness in children, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems.”
There are more than 2,000 serotypes of Salmonella that can cause illnesses in humans. For the first time in this country, Salmonella was associated with mung bean sprouts in a May product recall. The firm has represented more than 100 victims of salmonellosis associated with sprouts, unpasteurized orange juice and cereal. JK
Eaton announces expansion
Eaton Semiconductor Equipment Operations announced a 140,000-square-foot facility expansion plan. The $22-million plan includes a world-class demonstration and applications lab and a customer training center at its Beverly, MA, facility and the expansion of its manufacturing facility in Rockville, MD. This expansion will enable the company to provide a range of demonstration and applications development capabilities utilizing its entire semiconductor equipment line. The center will open in 2001. LB
Millipore transfers product lines
Millipore Corporation Microelectronics Gas Products Division has transferred the manufacturing operations of the former Tylan and Span product lines to the newly constructed 16,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Allen, TX. This facility is the headquarters of the Microelectronics Gas Division, which produces the company's flow vacuum and pressure product lines. The transfer completes the consolidation efforts announced following Millipore's acquisition of Tylan and Span in January 1997. LB
Make your nomination for the 2000 Hall of Fame!
Continue a tradition of excellence by making a nomination to the 2000 CleanRooms Hall of Fame. Nominate your peers for this prestigious award and recognize them for their contributions and advances in contamination control. Call Mary Freitas at (603) 891-9385 for a nomination form or make your nominations at www.cleanrooms.com. Deadline is August 15, 2000.