Testing lab

Medline recently expanded its product testing and development lab in Mundelein, Illinois— tripling the size of the facility to 74,000 square feet and significantly bolstering the company’s capacity to test a variety of products, ingredients and solutions efficiently and comprehensively.

The $27 million expansion project “supports our continued growth,” says Lara Simmons, chief quality officer for Medline. “Our main mission is to provide safe, effective, high-quality products that provide value to our customers.”

The expanded lab includes upgraded mechanical systems and environmental controls, and increased lab space and capabilities—including design verification, chemistry, microbiology, expiration dating, calibration and formulation.

The facility and operations are ISO 17025 certified and routinely audited by the FDA, meeting the highest standards for safety, quality and unbiased reporting. The lab has grown to more than 140 employees, including engineers, biologists, chemists, formulation scientists, and technicians.

“People can be confident that we have solid policies and procedures, and are meeting all standards and training requirements,” said Simmons.

“Our number one priority is product quality,” says Michael Turturro, Ph.D., Medline director, product development. The expansion, he says, allows the lab to test 10,000 to 12,000 samples a month.

Through in-house testing, “we can be confident in the performance of our products and have the assurance that our products are meeting or exceeding standards,” said Simmons.
This is especially important with increasing Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other regulatory requirements.

“Our focus is continuous improvement; making our products better and incorporating customer feedback,” says Simmons.