Manufacturing

Eliminate Waste and Maintain Highest Quality & Sterility.

Manufacturing

Labcon’s 12,000-square-meter eco-efficient manufacturing facility in Petaluma, California runs 24 hours a day year-round and produces a daily amount of 4 million pieces used in 1,300 finshed goods. To ensure this facility runs as eco-efficiently as possible, Labcon is focused on increasing resource efficiency, utilizing renewable resources, reducing energy consumption, eliminating harmful chemicals, and reducing waste and emissions.

With continued improvement to Labcon’s design and manufacturing facility in Petaluma, California USA, the energy content to produce a case of product has been reduced by more than 50% since 2000.

The Earth Friendly® Promise
Earth Friendly

The Earth Friendly® symbol is proudly displayed on our product packaging and literature, but Earth Friendly® is more than just a slogan, it is a promise to the planet. To keep that promise, Labcon has implimented sustainable goals and practices that address the environmental impact of product packaging, waste, and life cycles. Labcon designs and manufactures reusable, refillable, and recyclable products that use less plastic, incorporates more recycled and recyclable materials, revolutionary bioplastics, and minimal packaging. Labcon’s manufacturing plant uses renewable energy and efficient, waste-free machines to manufacture every product.

Toward Zero Manufacturing Waste

High Efficiency Automation

Automated robotic handling and assembly has increased production efficiency by 9 nine fold in the past 20 years while maximizing product quality and sterility. Advanced all-electric injection molding machines reduce energy consumption by up to 60% compared to hydraulic machines and precision, multi-cavity molds result in a superior product with increased resource efficiency.

Reusable, Refillable, and Repurposable

Over 90% of Labcon products are molded, assembled, packaged, and distributed on-site with remaining components sourced from local partners within 160 kilometers. This significantly reduces emissions, energy, and environmental impact. In 2015 Labcon purchased a second building 500 meters from the main facility to use as a distribution center. Our goal is to add enough solar electric power generation on the new site to make it an energy-neutral facility.

Zero Material Waste

An internal recycling program results in zero plastic waste. Scrap from pipet tip and tube production is reprocessed to make molded racks for pipet tips and centrifuge tubes. Labcon is working to form the labware industry’s first zero-landfill facility.

Reduced Emissions

Hazardous waste sources have been eliminated and our closed loop water cooling system prevents any chemicals from going down the drain and entering nearby coastal wetlands. We eliminated Volatile Organic Solvents in the tube printing process.

Manufacturing Results

Advanced all electric injection molding machines reduce energy consumption by up to 60% compared to hydraulic machines. Over 90% of Labcon products are molded, assembled, packaged, and distributed from our Petaluma manufacturing facility with remaining components sourced from local partners within 160 kilometers. Since the year 2000 we have reduced the waste per kilogram in making our products by 86% per case.

Electric Molding Machines Use 60% Less60%
Reduction in Energy Usage
90% of Product Made and Packed Onsite 90%
Local & Onsite Production
Reduced Waste per Kilogram by 86% per Case86%
Reduction in Waste per Kilogram
Eclipse
Sustainability

Making an
Earth Friendly Company

Watch a short video about the steps Labcon has taken on our journey to become a more sustainable company.

Sustainable is more than recycling.

Sustainability at Labcon

Acting sustainably is far beyond a commitment to recycle. True performance in achieving a more sustainable future is in engaging others and incorporating sustainablity into your complete culture. This is a journey.

See more in our latest sustainability report.

Read more about our Earth Friendly® program and our latest performance.