In many industries today, the laboratory retains its importance as a vital part of R&D and testing processes. There are many emerging technologies that are enhancing the capability and durability of the lab, and one of the most significant is a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). Utilized by enterprises and smaller organizations alike, LIMS software delivers a range of automated workflows to be employed in laboratories; it also enhances the laboratory environment where staff keep track of products, samples, and test results.
In delivery of efficient LIMS and relevant services, LabVantage Solutions, a US-based company with global clients, is a recognized leader offering a completely browser-based integrated laboratory management platform. The company offers pre-packaged laboratory solutions for Quality Control (QC), Contract Labs, Research & Development, Validated Pharma manufacturing, Diagnostic testing, and for certain industries. LabVantage mainly offers a laboratory software solution which includes LIMS, Electronic Laboratory Notebook (ELN), and Laboratory Execution System (LES).
The LabVantage platform is used at more than 1500 customer sites, across a number of industries, from pharmaceutical and life science, medical device, biobanking, food and beverage, oil and gas, diagnostics and genetics, and more. The company’s solutions help its customers to innovate faster in the R&D cycle, improve manufactured product quality, achieve accurate record-keeping, and comply with regulatory requirements.
An Exemplary Leadership
Bob Voelkner is the Vice President for Sales and Marketing at LabVantage. He is a graduate of the University of Scranton with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. Prior to joining LabVantage in 2009, Bob was Sales Manager for the LIMS division of Applied Biosystems. Previously, he spent seven years in a number of sales leadership positions at Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Informatics and Services division. Bob started his career at Beckman Coulter Inc. as a Senior Software Developer working on LIMS and Chromatography Data Systems, progressing to Director of Global Sales and Marketing of its Laboratory Automation Operations division.
Bob mentions, “We are challenged at the leadership level to expand the footprint of our software beyond traditional LIMS functionality into areas that are adjacent or complementary to add benefits for our customers.”
Benefiting Software
The LabVantage platform offers a complete package with tremendous depth, breadth, and richness of capability to support laboratory processes. Using provided design tools, it can be easily configured or modified, and adapt to virtually any laboratory environment, from R&D to Quality Control. Because the company mainly focuses on flexibility, which can be perceived as complex, it takes many of the common configurations that it historically developed for similar clients and built industry-specific packaged solutions. LabVantage considers these solutions as industry accelerators which can be rapidly deployed to reduce risk and total cost of ownership.
Stepping Ahead with Unified Technology
As a decades-long LIMS provider, LabVantage has lived through the shift away from the customization of software solutions and has fully embraced configurability. It recognizes customers who want turnkey solutions that reduce investment costs, deployment and training time, complexity, and a heavy reliance on an IT department. For that reason, LabVantage has continually engineered its platform for ease of use, to support common workflows, and to be configurable without requiring software development skills. The company also recognizes the importance of being a technology leader and stays up-to-date with current technologies, whether it’s web technology, cloud hosting, or portable/mobile access. LabVantage’s goal is to offer the most technologically advanced solutions and make them work hard for its customers.
Adapting to Modern Industry Trends
LabVantage is the first LIMS company to address data integrity compliance in the pharmaceutical industry. When the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued new guidance around data in temporary memory, LabVantage quickly engineered modifications that helped its customers comply. Its customer advisory board also meets with LabVantage leadership quarterly to help guide its strategic direction. In addition, the company hosts an annual customer training and education conference that provides great opportunities to have a conversation with its customers to learn about their needs. A strong investment in current and new product development helps LabVantage to maintain its technology and business leadership.
“Staying in touch with our customers and watching the industries we serve are perhaps our leading methods to identify and address trends,” says Bob Voelkner.
Technological Differentiator with Future Aims
LabVantage’s technology is a clear differentiator. The company has recently invested in the user’s experience, meaning the LIMS delivers a simple, attractive and intuitive user interface. The depth and breadth of native functionality and the high degree of extensibility without customization, scripting or coding is unparalleled. And LabVantage’s professional services are also second to none. More than half its headcount is devoted to serving its customers.