HIGHLIGHTS
Miele glass washers – 5 things you may not know about them Labotec is an authorised business partner for Miele laboratory glass washers for southern Africa. These German manufactured machines have both lab and domestic reputations for using state-of-the-art technology. Glass washers are often the unnoticed workhorse of the laboratory – until business as usual grinds to a halt because of a lack of clean labware, and everyone suddenly realises just how much these essential pieces of equipment contribute to the smooth running of the department. Here are 5 facts you may not have known about Miele. Try before you buy Buying a glass washer is not always straightforward and, no doubt, you will have a number of questions: does the machine live up to the supplier’s claims? Can it really clean our dirtiest glassware? To provide simple, honest answers, there is a showroom at Labotec in Midrand, where customers are invited to bring their soiled glassware and run it through a programme on one of the machines. It’s the easiest way to demonstrate the products and allow you to discover Miele quality for yourselves.
Longevity Every instrument manufacturer would like to think its products will continue to run forever. However, the reality is general wear and tear will require parts to be replaced over the years, which can often raise concerns about obsolescence when a model is discontinued. Miele guarantees to keep spare parts for 15 years after the end of production. Designed for efficiency Miele has taken care to make sure its glass washers are energy efficient. For example, incorporating the heaters inside the circulation pump, rather than outside, allows the water to be heated directly, which is both quicker and more economical. The EcoDry feature also saves electricity; the machine door automatically opens at the end of the programme once the temperature in the wash cabinet has fallen to a safe level, allowing residual moisture to escape and the glassware to dry more quickly. There is also a waterproof system, which cuts off the water supply in the rare event of a leak, minimising any damage from flooding and preventing further wasted water.
Performance verification A number of Labotec’s customers working in pharmaceuticals or the food and beverage industry must demonstrate compliance with regulatory standards. Alongside glass washer maintenance, Miele is able to provide an IQOQ (Installation Qualification Operational Qualification) and can undertake a performance verification validation service to ensure everything is working as it should be, assuring a customer’s clients that cleaning is carried out to a specified standard. Flexibility Every customer will have slightly different requirements. Some labs need to wash 10 different types of glass in a single cycle. Miele has developed the appropriate inserts to accommodate volumetric flasks, beakers, pipettes, etc. Alternatively, your needs may be more unique. For example, Miele developed special baskets for glass washers in blood transfusion services, and even adapted a machine in a pharmaceutical lab to receive water for injection from a ring main.
LABOTEC (PTY) LTD JHB: (011) 315 5434 CPT: (021) 531 7660 DBN: (031) 566 4870 Fax: (011) 315 5882 sales@labotec.co.za www.labotec.co.za
BAMR – 75 years of serving the industry BAMR is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Fred Duk, a major in the Airforce, returned from the war to establish BAMR on 22 May 1946. Frank took over in 1961 and Graham Duk, Fred’s grandson, became involved in 1998. BAMR remains a customerfocused, family-owned business. In its early days, the company focused predominantly on instrumentation in the coating industry with the Air Force being the first target focus with Fred’s background. To this day, the business remains loyal to its core business principles. BAMR has been the suppliers and distributors of Elcometer instruments and equipment since 1947. They are the sole official authorised Elcometer distributor and partner in South Africa and most of Africa. The first export sale for Elcometer in
Elcometer Instruments - from old to new 1947 was through BAMR. BAMR represents some of the market leaders in the world in southern Africa and combines quality products at competitive prices, with personalised service. Applications for the Elcometer Protective Coating Inspection range include any application where you are applying a
coating to a substrate including painting a ship, a tank or a structure such as a stadium. Other than measuring the coating thickness, other gauges and applications in this industry include: • Material thickness • Surface cleanliness • Surface profiles • Climatic conditions including moisture • Coating thickness – including Wet and Dry Film • Pinhole and Porosity Testing • Adhesion Testing. “BAMR is very much a family business. When my brother decided to do his own thing, my wife, Helena stepped in and has been actively involved and instrumental in the marketing side of the business. As the Elcometer business has grown and become
Ohaus launches new line of extreme washdown bench scales Defender 6000 offers high precision, versatility, and remarkable durability To address the weighing needs of food, chemical processing, and pharmaceutical
industry customers who seek advanced durability, along with reliable precision, Ohaus
has launched the new line of Defender 6000 Extreme Washdown Bench Scales. Ohaus Defender bench scales have been preferred by operators in processing and packaging environments for many years due to their remarkable durability, precision, and versatility. The all new Defender 6000 takes industrial weighing performance to a higher level. With a 316 stainless steel platform and frame, and an advanced IP68/IP69K washdown indicator with hermetically-sealed load cell, Defender 6000 can endure high-pressure wash downs and extreme temperatures common in food and chemical industry applications.
more sophisticated, so has our representation of the brand on the African continent,” explained Graham, the current owner. “Although a Cape Town-based business, we have key account managers in Johannesburg and in KZN and our footprint extends throughout Anglophone and subSaharan Africa. “With our partners on both the supplier front and the distribution front having similar philosophies with regards to innovation and customer service, we are very excited about the future of BAMR,” says Graham. BAMR
Tel: (021) 683 2100 sales@bamr.co.za www.bamr.co.za
The NSF-certified Defender 6000 meets metrological standards and supports HACCP systems, making it an excellent choice for food safe environments. Along with advanced features for demanding applications, Defender 6000 offers a wide range of available accessories. The Defender 6000 Extreme Washdown Bench Scale is now available worldwide through Ohaus licensed dealers. For more information about the Ohaus Defender 6000 Extreme Washdown Bench Scale, go to this link: https://bit.ly/3pE7xpQ.
OHAUS EUROPE GMBH SUBSAHARAN & EAST AFRICA Mobile: +27 82 657 9200 indira.clement@ohaus.com www.ohaus.com
Issue 4 | 2021 | Analytical Reporter
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