The original company, Guardtech Cleanrooms, covered everything – turnkey, modular, portable and quick-assembly cleanrooms, as well as all the associated products and services. But at the turn of the year, it acquired Cleanroom Solutions, and that business became the ‘heritage brand’ solely responsible for turnkey builds.
Guardtech Cleanrooms switched focus to concentrate only on smaller modular builds and relaunched CleanCube and Isopod as standalone businesses, meaning clients can get the exact service or product they need based on their requirements.
Pharma, Bio and Equip
The company has provided more than 40 CleanCube container and van labs for COVID-19 PCR testing since the pandemic started. The company’s most recent growth has been centred around the new pharma model the company has been working on. It’s ideal for applications like pharmaceutical compounding and Guardtech has recently built several for businesses conducting pioneering Cell & Gene Therapy and Microbiome Therapeutics.
CleanCube Pharma and Bio utilise the base specification of the Midi 40ft container, while the Equip is housed in the Maxi (double container), with the Pharma configured to produce the best utilisation of production space whilst also accommodating the demands of a primary and secondary personnel airlock.
Allowing for a one or two-process room configuration and supporting either positive or negative pressurisation, CleanCube Pharma can be used in pharmaceutical compounding and Cell & Gene Therapy, especially where segregation and containment is required.
CleanCube Equip adopts a Maxi base (40ft doubler container) and has been configured to maximise processing space to accommodate large tools and equipment.
Typically, these modules are procured by tool and equipment manufacturers who form only a part of their clients manufacturing chain and their equipment must be operated within a controlled environment.
Guardtech have worked with OEMs to produce a standardised base unit that facilitates maximum floor space, supported by personnel and materials airlocks and supporting plant and utility zone.
Equip provides/has increased internal clearance of 2.5m by delivering ISO7 classified filtration via horizontal airflow and is temperature and humidity controlled to support process, packaging and storage conditions as well as operator comfort.
The Bio version, which initially became established during the pandemic, shares the same specification as many of the units out in the field right now that have become so vital for PCR testing.
These biosafety laboratories (levels 1, 2 & 3) are specially configured to ensure operators can work with contagious materials safely and effectively. These labs are designed not only to protect operator from contamination, but also to prevent micro-organisms from entering the environment.
Grade D Cleanrooms
The 150sqm Grade D cleanroom suite is for a bespoke clinical trial manufacturing service – including placebo manufacturing, clinical packaging, supply chain solutions and formulation development. The 400sqm Grade C and D project is for Cell & Gene Therapy.
Isopod Configurator
Commercial director, Wheeler, wanted to capture the cleanroom ordering process in the most efficient and formulaic way he could. He broke down all the different elements that go into a modular cleanroom build and created a bespoke online tool to help streamline what can sometimes be a really convoluted, messy series of conversations – literally (and often) a cleanroom sketched on a scrap of paper!
The plan will be to open CleanCube and Isopod up to the international export market.
Wheeler had used similar tech to order cars before and thought it could be used for a modular cleanroom.