GE Healthcare and Rockwell Automation Collaborate on Bioprocessing Automation

GE Healthcare and Rockwell Automation are combining their automation, information technology (IT), and single-use solution expertise to build bioprocessing operations for the digital age, the companies announced in a March 28, 2019 press release. The two companies will help biopharmaceutical companies create flexible and scalable facilities of the future, focused on rapid response to market demands, streamlined production technologies, and adaptable manufacturing environments. GE Healthcare has also joined the Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork Program as an original equipment manufacturer partner. 

“As GE Healthcare and the healthcare ecosystem move toward precision health, flexible and scalable solutions are critical for companies to efficiently manufacture smaller batches of tailored medicines,” said Kevin Seaver, executive general manager, bioprocess automation and digital, GE Healthcare, in the press release. 

“Our collaboration with GE Healthcare will help make bioprocessing operations more agile,” said Fran Wlodarczyk, senior vice-president, architecture and software, Rockwell Automation, in the press release. “The facility of the future reimagines what’s possible in production of biopharmaceuticals. It uses connectivity, information, and modular equipment to create smaller-scale, more efficient operations. As GE Healthcare becomes a member of our PartnerNetwork program, our joint work will help GE Healthcare bring the Connected Enterprise to life, so they can meet demands for more targeted drugs and get products to market faster.”

The companies say that the collaboration will help their customers gain greater efficiency with FlexFactory single-use equipment integrated with Figurate bioprocess automation to improve reproducibility, repeatability, and compliance. In addition, the joint offering will allow customers to digitize batch files and processes and to deliver instructions to workers with augmented reality to improve batch execution, operations, equipment setup, and training.

Source: GE