Trends that will impact the way laboratories operate in 2022
After the Covid-19 outbreak, laboratories and their suppliers are in more demand for resources than ever before. Due to the rise in demand from all parties involved, efficient working methods have acquired a lot of traction.
The two fundamental concepts of the relevant industries, digitization and sustainability, have grown even more conspicuous. Apart from the pandemic, efficient supply chain management and agility are critical to future laboratory developments. Read through the following five major future developments that will influence the way laboratories will operate.
1. Promote sustainability in the laboratory
Sustainability has been more than a fad for a long time, and its management has been a well-established economic component that emphasizes the responsible use of finite resources, and it is not limited to labs. As a result, many businesses in key industries are attempting to reduce their environmental footprint. And this is important since many things in laboratories can only be used once.
Because plastics cannot be avoided in laboratory work owing to various reasons, the best sustainable alternative at the moment is to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastics. Bioplastics manufactured from maize, as well as the development and usage of recyclable plastics, are the most promising options at the moment. This process begins with product development and concludes with recycling.
2. Laboratory Information and Management Systems
As data quantities grow due to the result of digitalization, so makes the demand for sophisticated software that allows laboratory staff to keep track of and assess operations. Because they support standard operating procedures and data tracking, and interfaces allow data to be transferred with other systems, Laboratory Information and Management Systems (LIMS) are now the solution to data management in modern laboratories.
Each LIMS is as unique as the laboratory it serves and the industry in which it works. Order logging and sample registration, setting the scope of the investigation, enabling the distribution and processing of samples, outcomes data collecting (manual or online), releasing investigation findings, and creating and analyzing reports are all standard functions.
3. Inventory optimization for competitiveness in the supply chain
Coronavirus, international trade wars, structural change, and a variety of other issues all have an influence on laboratories’ performance and competitive advantage. In laboratory management, good supply chain management is also critical to long-term success. Purchasing in bulk saves time and money since less packing is necessary, and transportation emissions are decreased.
4. Lab 4.0- A major concern in the laboratory
The important trends for the future of laboratories are sustainability and digitization. When “Laboratory 4.0,” in the shape of a digital and intelligently networked laboratory, results in better sustainability, things will really work.
Methods that connect people, devices, systems, sensors, and goods are networked in such a way that they are essentially self-organized with the support of modern, cutting-edge information and communication technology.
This novel technique allows scientists to grasp the complexities of laboratory operations, improve workflows, and operate effectively – which means more sustainably at a lower cost.
5. Flexibility – Creating opportunities for efficiency and growth
The new methods of working will involve not only digitalization and networked communication but also a different approach to how we manage our everyday job.
A versatile idea allows for more communication. Employees learn more by studying together, sharing their experiences and, most crucially, exchanging ideas; the flow of information is improved, which may lead to higher efficiency and development success.