LAUDA, the world market leader for constant temperature equipment and systems for precise temperature generation, has extended its laboratory technology product range with the LAUDA Puridest stills product line. The devices with the 'GFL Technology' quality mark produce an ultra-pure, low-gas, sterile and pyrogen-free distillate with very low conductivity. Puridest stills are used in bacteriological and medical sample preparation and also in the preparation of cell and tissue cultures. They are also used for cleaning and sterilization processes, buffer solutions and microbiological and analytical applications. The distillate complies with the DAB regulations and the specifications of international pharmacopoeias. LAUDA Puridest stills also distill raw water of lower quality, separate pollutants, and reliably kill germs such as bacteria and viruses.

Low-maintenance and easy to use

LAUDA Puridest stills are available throughout the world in four high-performance product lines with 14 single- or two-stage model variants in the form of stainless steel or glass stills. Depending on the model, the devices are equipped with a storage tank and produce 2 to 12 liters of distillate per hour with conductivities down to below 1.6 µS/cm. Apart from their reliability and extremely long service life, LAUDA Puridest stills are characterized by their simple handling in the daily work in the laboratory. The stills are extremely easy to commission and operate. The ultra-pure water can be extracted directly after connection to the raw water and power supply. The devices are maintenance-free, because the glass stills automatically remove pollutants.

LAUDA Puridest stills with the "GFL Technology" quality mark

Decades of experience and technical development have set the standard: LAUDA Puridest stills are developed and manufactured by LAUDA-GFL. The company has been a member of the LAUDA group since December 31st, 2018 and is known throughout the world as a premium manufacturer of reliable laboratory technology. The use of the "GFL Technology" quality mark means that LAUDA is continuing the tradition of the GFL brand, which has been renowned for its quality and reliability in laboratories worldwide for more than 50 years.

Pure water: The Art of Distillation

Distillation is an effective and reliable way of producing pure water. The distinctive feature of distillation is that it only requires the input of energy. Compared with other auxiliary materials, such as absorbents or solvents, energy has the major advantage that it can be easily supplied to a system and removed again. As a result, stills require minimum maintenance. They are maintenance-free apart from regular cleaning. Distilled water, also referred to as aqua dest (lat. aqua destillata), is produced when steam condenses. This "pure water" is approx. 99.5 percent free of salts, organic substances, microorganisms, pyrogens and bacteria.

LAUDA, the world market leader for constant temperature equipment and systems, is expanding its product range of reliable laboratory devices for a wide spectrum of applications with the new Varioshake shakers. The LAUDA Varioshake product line comprises ten shakers in three sizes with five different shaking motions, as well as three shaking incubators in three sizes with a circular motion. Like the new LAUDA Hydro water baths, the Varioshake shakers feature “GFL Technology” and represent the many years of experience and outstanding quality of premium manufacturer GFL Gesellschaft für Labortechnik mbH, which became part of the LAUDA Group at the end of 2018. Equipped with modern LAUDA design and excellent performance data, the new GFL Technology laboratory devices stand for premium quality and precision.

LAUDA Varioshake: Shakers for reliable continuous operation

The LAUDA Varioshake shakers are reliable partners in many applications in the laboratory. They are used for mixing a variety of liquids or powders, prevent sedimentation or are used for oxygen enrichment and sample preparation. LAUDA Varioshake shakers are extremely user-friendly, robust and durable and are therefore the ideal companion for everyday work in the laboratory. Their sturdy, low-wear mechanical system ensures extremely smooth operation and reliable continuous duty. The electronics system controls the soft start. With a space saving of up to 35 percent compared to the previous model, Varioshake shakers are adapted to the limited space available in laboratories. All models of the LAUDA Varioshake shakers are presented in the new, modern LAUDA design.

LAUDA Varioshake shakers are available in versions with a load bearing capacity from 8 to 30 kg and work surfaces up to 676 x 540 mm. Depending on the model, the devices are equipped with user-friendly analog or digital control. The Varioshake VS 8 OE and VS 8 BE models stand out in particular: They are extremely compact and offer an extended ambient temperature range up to 60 °C (instead of the 50 °C typical for series production) for use in incubators. The shaking incubators from the LAUDA Varioshake product line offer a usable volume of 45 to 150 l with shaking areas up to 676 x 540 mm and excellent temperature stability of ±0.2 K. LAUDA Varioshake shakers are equipped with a large number of possible shaking movements. From orbital shakers for round vessels, such as Erlenmeyer flasks or petri dishes, and horizontal shakers to Varioshake overhead shakers with 360° rotation, the Varioshake product line offers movement patterns for a wide range of applications.

LAUDA Varioshake shakers with an extensive accessory range

The extensive accessory range enables the LAUDA Varioshake devices to be tailored to individual requirements. The modular system provides easy exchange and quick and easy adjustment to virtually any size or form of vessel. The range of accessories includes adhesive mats, universal attachments, trays, racks and clamps. In addition to this, almost all of the auxiliary equipment is globally compatible within the Varioshake shaker product range. Quick and easy retrofitting is therefore no problem.

"The LAUDA Varioshake shakers mean that we are adding another core piece of GFL laboratory technology to the extensive LAUDA portfolio. The designation 'GFL Technology' stands as a quality mark for quality and precision, coupled with new product features in a first-class design", explains Dr. Gunther Wobser, Managing Director of LAUDA. "With LAUDA Hydro and LAUDA Varioshake, we have already successfully introduced two LAUDA-GFL appliance lines in the modern LAUDA design this year. We will complete the reorganization in the course of this year."

The corona virus is changing our daily life and work in a way never before seen. Since the restrictions in public life currently continue to be largely maintained and can only be eased gradually, the pressure on global medical research to develop drugs, therapies and ultimately a vaccine against this novel virus is increasing. LAUDA, as a manufacturer of temperature control units and systems as well as laboratory equipment, contributes to the solution in dealing with COVID-19. As a long-standing supplier of professional temperature control technology with over 60 years of experience, LAUDA equips laboratories all over the world with highly accurate and reliable temperature control and laboratory technology. In times of the Corona Pandemic, an even more important part of LAUDA's expertise is found in the area of pharmaceutical production of active ingredients.

LAUDA temperature control units support companies in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, for example in the commercial production of pharmaceutically and biotechnologically produced active ingredients - this becomes important, for example, in the production of a vaccine against the coronavirus in large quantities. An important step in this process is the temperature control of bioreactors. Here, microorganisms are cultivated under the best possible conditions, for example in the range of body temperature to 37 to 38 °C, and then suddenly cooled down. "In the field of bioproduction, we have been supplying all well-known customers for years. Especially our Integral process thermostats and the Variocool recirculating coolers with additional heating have become a kind of gold standard in the temperature control of bioreactors," explains Dr. Gunther Wobser, President and CEO of LAUDA.

For the mass production of a possible vaccine or supporting medication, the industrial division of LAUDA develops heating and cooling lyses for scale-up processes. These include process cooling systems for so-called "Freeze & Thaw" processes, in which active ingredients are deep-frozen in large tanks and shipped for further processing. "We are currently receiving enquiries from major technology companies in the USA who are using our industrial cooling systems for research on COVID-19," says Dr. Marc Stricker, the COO responsible for this area.

In addition to production, the storage of active ingredients plays an important role in combating the pandemic. LAUDA cryogenic equipment is used, for example, in the pharmaceutical industry for the production of vaccines and medications in order to store samples safely and over a long period of time.

LAUDA also offers solutions in the area of preparatory steps: "In the area of laboratory technology, we are currently receiving an increasing number of enquiries about LAUDA-GFL stills", explains Dr. Gunther Wobser. The distillation apparatuses of the youngest LAUDA subsidiary are used for the production of purified water for the manufacture of disinfectants as well as for the supply of autoclaves for sterilisation/autoclaving, e.g. of surgical instruments, components or tubes of respirators. So-called overhead shakers also help in the fight against coronavirus - the shakers are used to produce solutions for test kits for the extraction of DNA and RNA from a variety of sample materials such as serum, plasma, oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal swabs (mouth, throat or nose) or other respiratory samples.

However, LAUDA's contribution does not end with its products and services. The company has also offered its support to the Corona Task Force for Medical Technology of the state of Baden-Württemberg, as well as to the well-known medical technology company Dräger in the production of urgently required medical devices. LAUDA also helped Corona helpers of the Main-Tauber Kreis with donations in their solidarity against the consequences of CO-VID-19: "We take the virus very seriously in our own company as well and have initiated strict rules and safety measures to protect the health of our employees and at the same time ensure the availability of our temperature control units worldwide," says Dr. Gunther Wobser. "Fortunately, we can still guarantee this at present. All of our employees are working flat out, either on site or from their home offices, to deliver first-class quality under the given restrictions for those who are urgently dependent on our products in the fight against COVID-19," adds CFO Dr. Mario Englert. "We are proud to be able to contribute to the solution of the Corona crisis with our daily work".