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Saturday, December 5, 2009
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Life saver in the spotlight
Senior Reporter BAXTER - A business with roots in Baxter was recently recognized as an innovative leader in technology that may be used to save lives.
Minnesota Thermal Science, with offices in the Johnson Centre in Baxter, won the Advanced Manufacturing Award at the 2009 Tekne Awards.
The Tekne Awards honor companies and individuals who have shown superior technology innovation and leadership in Minnesota.
Minnesota Thermal Science was a finalist a year ago and won this year with its Credo Cube.
The cube, a specialized container with advanced technology, gives the medical and pharmaceutical industries a cost-saving alternative to transporting temperature-sensitive products - like blood, vaccine, organs - with thermal protection for up to seven days.
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Minnesota Thermal Science won the Advanced Manufacturing Award at the 2009 Tekne Awards this fall. The business, with offices in the Johnson Centre in Baxter, developed the Credo Cube. The 100 percent reusable cube ensures safe transport of temperature-sensitive medical and bio-tech products while maintaining thermal protection for up to seven days, the longest-duration thermal protection in the industry. Brainerd Dispatch/Renee Richardson
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The cube uses high-end insulators - vacuum-insulated panels and high performance plastic filled with a phase-change refrigerant, or one that can go from solid to liquid. The refrigerants are capable of meeting specific temperature needs for particular products.
The cube has a modular design using six identical plastic panels that are beveled to fall into place. The panels come in multiple sizes and have the option to fit inside each other for extended temperature protection needs, such as international shipping.
"So as far as quality, as far as production, as far as ease of use from a consumer standpoint - it really filled a lot of needs out there," said Tom Anderson, Minnesota Thermal Science chief executive officer,
The company has the manufacturing flexibility to make the panels longer, which could allow transportation of a limb, for example.
Anderson said the product has the ability to appeal to a number of industries, but the company's initial focus has been in the medical and biological industries. They work with blood banks, pharmaceutical and tissue companies.
A lot of those companies are still shipping using Styrofoam, gel packs and dry ice, Anderson said, noting it takes awhile for the large companies to adapt to new technology as they do their own trials and tests to validate it for their use.
As a way to make an impression, Anderson said the firm will fill a container with ice cream treats and mail it to trade shows about a week before the show begins. Once there, they open the cube and give out the still-frozen ice cream desserts.
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Tom Anderson, Minnesota Thermal Science chief executive officer, displayed the Credo Cube from the company offices at the Johnson Centre in Baxter. The cube, a specialized container with advanced technology, gives the medical and pharmaceutical industries a cost-saving alternative to transporting temperature sensitive products - like blood, vaccine, organs - with thermal protection for up to seven days. Brainerd Dispatch/Renee Richardson
» Purchase reprints of this photo.
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Between 2004 and 2007, about 95 percent of the company's products were shipped for military use - American, British and Israeli. Orders were big but tended to come in waves. In order to have a more stable revenue stream, Minnesota Thermal Science worked to expand its pharmaceutical and biological business.
This year, Anderson said the military customers account for less than 20 percent of the company's business.
Revenues have grown from less than $2 million last year to an expected $4.5 million to $5 million this year. The last four or five months, Anderson said revenues have been running at a rate of $7 million to $8 million. The revenue goal for 2010 is $10 million to $12 million.
"It's giving a better solution," Anderson said of the product. "It's saving lives or extending lives. So it's nice to be a part of something that's growing, that's exciting, that's saving lives, that's creating opportunities for employees and giving an industry a better solution than it ever has."
Anderson said the product gives customers an alternative to renting a container that needs electricity to keep contents cold. Costs can be $10,000 to $15,000 for the equipment. Minnesota Thermal Science is designing a pallet shipping container that is expected to be available at the end of the first quarter.
Growth areas are expected in global shipping, with business ties in England providing a distribution option to reach western Europe. Minnesota Thermal Science, which has a production facility in Plymouth, employs about 28 full-time people. Work is contracted from a number of locations.
As for the award, Anderson said it helps establish the company as an innovator and leader in the industry rubbing shoulders with past award winners - 3M, IBM, Ecolab, Medtronic, Mayo Clinic.
Minnesota Thermal Science is part of A. Johnson Enterprises of Baxter. Area entrepreneur Arnie Johnson owns outright or substantial shares of five key businesses, including Minnesota Thermal Science, Silent Power Inc. of Nisswa and Integrated Retirement Initiatives of Baxter.
Silent Power was named a finalist in the 2009 Tekne Awards' Cleantech Award category.
RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.
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