Guardtech Group opening up new horizons with CleanCube

CleanCube Mobile Cleanrooms, which had been going from strength to strength in the UK over the past four years, is making an impact among international clients in life sciences. 

CleanCube, primarily now a product developed from shipping container bases, won multiple awards during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Guardtech Group eventually providing around 40 mobile PCR testing labs to help identify strains of the potentially deadly virus at airports and businesses all over the world. 

And the trend for international growth has since continued, with CleanCube creator Mark Wheeler refocusing the strategy of the business to become far more than just a biosafety lab solution. 

Guardtech’s commercial director said: “Our first CleanCube was actually for an overseas client, in Africa, and the purpose of that cleanroom was to support an Oil & Gas application.   

“But when the COVID-19 pandemic really took hold, we did everything we could to support the UK’s laboratory shortage – and that meant providing as many portable BSL2 testing units as we could manage. 

“Once we all made it through that dark period, we realised at Guardtech that we could have the makings of a special idea with CleanCube – and so we reformulated our strategy to cover the most commonly required controlled environment needs of our wider client base."

CleanCube container cleanrooms come as Mini (20ft), Midi (40ft) or Maxi (40ft double) base models, while there are also the smaller and larger vehicle conversion options, Mobi and Mobi+, which were also hugely prominent during the pandemic. 

But it is with CleanCube Multi that Wheeler has developed an idea that 'changes the game'. 

As well as developing a solution that provides British-made cleanrooms for the international market, Wheeler realises the potential CleanCube Multi offers for a new breed of facility on these shores. 

“We can now ship large controlled environments from the UK to anywhere in the world,” he adds. “How? Well, with CleanCube Multi, we simply ship each individual 40ft module separately and then join them together on-site as part of the installation. 

“From Multi 3 (three containers adjoined side by side) all the way up to Multi 8, we have standard solutions ready to go for overseas clients who want a British cleanroom facility. 

“We think this is a game changer, as we recognise we’re a trusted brand in the UK yet we also know our reputation is growing quickly internationally.  

“Now our international clients can, relatively easily, get their hands on a Guardtech cleanroom solution rapidly and efficiently, without months and months of busy construction site work to cope with.” 

What is, however, particularly interesting about this concept for Wheeler, is the impact it can also have here in the UK.  

“The days of process work and manufacturing having to take in cleanrooms based in pre-existing buildings is gone,” he adds.  

“Of course, there's always going to be a strong market for turnkey and modular construction, but CleanCube Multi offers businesses the chance to essentially drop a large-scale plug-and-play facility into an appropriate space and get on with their work quickly and efficiently. 

“It’s a cost-effective, rapid solution that removes all the hassle of a major construction project yet features the same high-quality mark and adherence to standards."