Bruker’s Acquisition of Optimal Industrial Automation and Technologies Deepens Its Digital Capabilities
Brands with a field force are constantly searching for new ways to automate processes and streamline workflows. This need has grown due to the proliferation of predictive maintenance, which requires new generations of technologies to become possible.
Nearly three-quarters (73%) of field service organizations have incorporated Internet of Things (IoT) into their operations, with some experts estimating there were around 35 billion connected devices installed worldwide at the end of 2021. Asa manufacturer of scientific instruments for molecular and materials research, Bruker understands all too well the need for accuracy and reliability when it comes to its products, and is constantly innovating to discover new ways to achieve automation at every level of its operation.
Bruker
To help make its operation more effective than ever before, Bruker recently acquired recently announced its acquisition of UK-based Optimal Industrial Automation and Technologies.
Based in Yate, Bristol, Optimal specializes in pharma and biopharma process analytical technology, pharma manufacturing automation and quality assurance software and systems integration. The acquisition by Bruker will help both companies further establish themselves as critical software and solutions providers for small molecule, biologics and new drug modalities pharma companies.
Optimal biopharma tools and automation capabilities complement Bruker’s innovative and differentiated high-value NMR, mass spectrometry, SPR, molecular spectroscopy and X-ray scientific instruments, and life-science solutions for biopharma drug discovery and development, as well as for process analytical technology (PAT) and QA solutions.
These technologies working together will not only improve the development and manufacture of these lifesaving devices, but helps Bruker’s field service organization become more proactive and agile.
"Optimal has a focus on the automation and optimization of batch and continuous processes in the biopharma industry – from R&D to manufacturing," continues Bruker. "As an integrated PAT solutions provider, Optimal offers development, testing, deployment and support of quality-centric pharmaceutical production systems."
Supporting these critical machines through automation will fast become a core benefit of this innovative new partnership and help propel both organizations into the next stage of their digital journey, according to Bruker.
Automation for Support
Optimal’s PAT knowledge-management software, syntq, can interface between multiple analytical instruments (spectral and univariate), multi-variate analysis (MVA) packages, manufacturing control systems, and a range of adjacent software solutions to ensure quality in real time, and can alert field service technicians if anything falls outside of pre-established parameters
"As a 2021 Pharma Innovation Award winner, syntq is a proven enabler of quality-by-design via PAT. For users of syntq, this can significantly increase productivity and quality, while reducing waste, time-to-manufacture and time-to-market, with proven Optimal use-cases tripling biopharma productivity," Bruker said in a press release announcing the acquisition.
While remaining a vendor-agnostic biopharma solutions provider, Optimal can integrate bioanalytical technologies such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS) and FTIR/NIR/Raman systems with Bruker’s innovative drug discovery, development, PAT, and quality control workflows.
Combining next-generation, high-performance technologies with Optimal’s automation and workflow technology solutions also has the power to ease the transition from development to biopharma manufacturing, while remaining in regulatory compliance and at full operational capacity.
"The acquisition of Optimal is a very exciting step for Bruker as it supports more comprehensive solutions for the biopharmaceutical industry, now adding the capabilities to integrate cutting-edge systems into biopharma manufacturing processes and workflows," said President of the Bruker Biospin Group, Dr. Falko Busse.
Final Thoughts
Predictive maintenance is transforming quickly from a nice-to-have feature of field service operations to an essential component that clients will insist upon in the future. When putting field service contracts out for tender, a provider’s ability to offer automated workflows that increase efficiencies while reducing downtime and callouts, will enable those bids to rise to the top in consideration.
With this acquisition, Bruker is ensuring its ability to provide the kinds of automation and technology driven support that modern healthcare providers and biopharma manufacturers demand today.
You can hear Venkata Reddy Mukku, VP of Worldwide Service & Support Organization for Bruker Nano Analytics, speak at Field Service Europe 2022, taking place 30 November – 01 December at the Movenpick Hotel, Amsterdam.
Download the agenda today for more information and insights.