Randox and partners announce opening of Ā£7m Advanced Biomedical Devices laboratory
Randox and partners announce opening of Ā£7m Advanced Biomedical Devices laboratory
Randox Laboratories is pleased to announce the opening of a state-of-the-art Advanced Biomedical Engineering Laboratory today, the result of an innovative partnership with some of Northern Ireland’s leading business and education stakeholders.
The strategic collaboration with Invest Northern Ireland, Ulster University and Heartsine Technologies to develop the £7 million laboratory aims to transform the future of healthcare. The lab, which is based at Ulster University, will offer expertise and state of the art equipment to assist companies to develop prototypes for the biomedical, engineering, electronic device and aerospace sectors.
Welcoming the new lab, Dr Peter FitzGerald from Randox Laboratories said: “As one of the UK’s leading life sciences companies, we are delighted to be a partner in this innovative collaboration and to promote Northern Ireland as a global life sciences hub. We believe the greatest improvements to patients’ lives are possible through the continuous development of new technologies.
“This unique laboratory will facilitate that, as it will allow the rapid development of test prototype devices and also assist us to expand our unique range of high-calibre analyser systems.”
Tracey Meharg, Invest NI’s Executive Director of Business Solutions said: “The new Bio Devices Lab is a welcome and exciting development for Northern Ireland’s Health & Life Sciences sector. The facility will open up opportunities for stronger innovation by hosting a suite of equipment which will allow companies to quickly develop prototypes and medical devices for testing.
“It is a great example of how partnerships between government, industry and academia can enhance Northern Ireland as a knowledge economy and boost the credibility and visibility of Northern Ireland as a global leader in connected health.”
Prof Jim McLaughlin from Ulster University said: “Developing technology platforms to help translate our world class science and discovery to a device format as promptly as possible is essential for the very best design and performance.
“In healthcare technology, Ulster University leads the way in the development of new patient monitoring systems, stimulation devices, wearable solutions and diagnostic sensing.
“The lab will enable our researchers to develop the strong leadership and innovation skills so critical to future industry growth, working in collaboration with our industry partners.”
The total investment is £7.4m. Invest NI has offered assistance of £3.7m through a Grant for R&D, with Ulster University contributing £2.9m and £716,000 invested through industry collaborations with Randox Laboratories and Heartsine Technologies. Invest NI’s R&D support is part funded by ERDF under the EU Investment for Growth and Jobs Programme 2014-2020.
Celebrating the opening of the Advanced Biomedical Engineering Laboratory are (from left) Professor Brian Meenan, Ulster University; Tracy Meharg, Invest NI; Professor Jim McLaughlin, Ulster University; and Stuart McGregor, Randox Laboratories
Staff Newsletter July / August 2017 Edition
Staff Newsletter July / August 2017 Edition
We are delighted to be able to share with you the July / August 2017 edition of our We Are Randox staff newsletter!
Click on the image for a range of company and staff news from the past two months – including our annual Sales Conference, AACC, Randox Fest 2017, and of course plenty of exciting staff weddings and engagements!
** Please note that image links work most efficiently in your Google Chrome browser**
We Are Randox | Celebrating Summer at Randox Fest 2017
We Are Randox | Rugby legends take Randox preventative health message on tour
`
This month global healthcare firm Randox Health brought together a wealth of Irish rugby stars, to play as part of a specially-formed squad who will be taking part in a match against the Barbados National Development Team, the Barbados Presidents XV.
The ‘Randox Raiders’ travelled to the Caribbean island ahead of their game on Friday 11th August, for intense training sessions led by Neill Alcorn, Ulster Rugby Development Officer, and to make a number of business visits to laboratories and hospitals across Barbados.
Dr. Peter FitzGerald, Founder and Managing Director of Randox Health, commented on the company’s plans for the rugby tour;
“Barbados is globally recognised for providing pioneering and forward-thinking healthcare to its citizens, and Randox has had a long -serving relationship with the country. Our match against the Barbados Presidents XV provides us with the opportunity to network and make valuable new contacts across the island, to highlight our latest health technologies and innovations, and of course to showcase our Randox Health offering, of which our rugby players have each availed.”
Joining the Antrim-headquartered company’s rugby team were former Ulster rugby players Richard Andrew and Alastair Birch, amongst a host of other semi-professional players from around the country. The members of the Randox Rugby team have been following a bespoke health plan, following receipt of the results of their Randox Health Signature programmes.
Offering the most comprehensive and personalised health screening in the world, Randox Health programmes work by testing for hundreds of biomarkers in the blood. This not only reveals a client’s current health status, but is also accurate and sensitive enough to identify any potential health risks in your future – giving you the ability to make smart choices which will keep you healthier for longer.
Dr. FitzGerald continued;
“The way in which we take a whole-body approach to health, instead of looking at isolated sections of the body, is one of the reasons why so many people, even professional athletes, are recognising the benefits of our health screening. Our principal brand ambassador is Sir AP McCoy, the world’s most successful jockey, and there are Olympic athletes, boxers, and of course our Randox rugby players, all happy to share how their Randox Health programme gave them the knowledge they needed to make important changes to their lifestyles. Everyone, even elite athletes, can make improvements to their current and future health by taking a preventive approach and proactive measures. For each of us, through every walk of life, our health is our most important commodity and we must take care of it as best we can.”
On Friday 11th August the Randox Raiders took to the pitch to play their much anticipated match against the Barbados Presidents XV.
We’re delighted to announce that the final score of the game was Barbados Presidents XV 12 vs Randox Raiders 60!
The game showcased some scintillating rugby with a few sensational long range tries scored by both teams. A heavy downpour in 2nd half didn’t dampen the spirits and made for an excellent spectacle of rugby for the crowd that came to support the teams. Congratulations to the Randox Raiders and in particular to man of the match no. 6 Ali Birch!
For more information about the Randox Rugby Team please contact Randox PR on 028 9442 2413 or email randoxpr@randox.com
We Are Randox | A year in the life of placement student Jenna Ireland
This week marks the end of the 2016/17 academic year for our Randox Placement Students. As we say goodbye and wish them luck for the future, we reflect on the year they have spent with us.
Jenna Ireland, a Business Management student from Ulster University, finishes her year-long placement tomorrow, Friday 11th August, before embarking on her final year of studies.
We sat down for a chat with Jenna to find out how she has found the placement experience, and what she wants to let students know about what it’s like to do a placement year with Randox.
This is what Jenna had to say:
I found out about the Randox Placement programme through our University Career Centre, as Randox has very close links with Ulster University.
I liked the sound of a company with such vast experience and a truly global presence. The company has a fantastic reputation across Northern Ireland as a leading business and employer so I thought, where better to spend my placement year?
The international network at Randox was truly apparent as soon as I began to work here. My colleagues in the team in which I was placed, which is the Sales Team for a number of specific regions including India, were so welcoming and supportive in spite of the extremely high-level careers they are in. They made time for me and went out of their way to help me to settle into my role and life at Randox even though they are so busy managing the sales for so many countries!
I began my time at Randox with a full two weeks of training to ease me into what has been my first full-time job. This gave me an overview of the company, the products and services I would be selling, the Randox ethos, the responsibilities of my job role, and the format of the placement programme.
I have also received training throughout the year on newly launched products to ensure total understanding of the technologies with which we are working. I wanted to gain a really in-depth knowledge of our Randox products so I also took it upon myself to complete online training modules.
The role itself that I have had during my time here at Randox is Sales Support Executive. This has involved assisting our team with research tasks as well as introducing new mechanisms to be used by our team after I leave. I have had the opportunity to really make my mark on the sales systems in place, by working on important projects including our organisational charts and our sales report, which is presented to Senior Management. I’ve also been involved in distributor relationship management, to make sure we always have the best partners in place for Randox.
I really feel like I’ve learnt a lot during my time here. I know that for some students in other organisations, during their placements they are unfortunately encumbered with the boring administrative tasks that more senior members of the team try to avoid, but it hasn’t been like that for me at all. The responsibilities with which my manager Rebekah has entrusted me have given me a real insight into the role of a salesperson in a very dynamic and fast-paced environment. I’ve loved meeting and interacting with members of our global team, as well as our distributors and customers.
My favourite moments during my time here have definitely been attending our Global Sales and Distributor Conferences. Spending time with a wealth of Randox salespeople from around the world meant that I could lean on their advice and experience to learn what it means to be a good sales person. I was able to talk to them about how to manage staff, about their tactics for increasing sales, and generally just get an overview of their roles and responsibilities. It’s great to hear from our global sales staff about their country, their culture, their language. There are such fantastic opportunities to travel at Randox which makes a sales job here so exciting.
Throughout my year at Randox I have had to submit two four-month reports to university, the first in October and the second in March, to assess and evaluate my placement. My tutor also came out to Randox to have a face-to-face meeting with my manager and me to discuss how I have been getting on, and my Randox mentor met with me regularly throughout the year to make sure I had all the support I required.
At the end of my placement I then submitted a placement portfolio including a 5000-word report on my time at Randox. I had to explain everything that I had learnt here and how I put into practice the skills and knowledge I had gained from university.
University is a fantastic stepping-stone into the working world, but you truly start to learn what it means to have a career when you experience the industry you want to work in for yourself. My final report for university was really useful because it enabled me to look back on my time here and reflect on what a fantastic experience it has been.
Not only have I grown in confidence, in my abilities and in my vocational development (simple things like writing professional emails and answering the phone in a polite and engaging way!) but I have also made some great friends.
Randox is such a friendly place and the team I have working beside me has been part of the reason I have enjoyed my time here so immensely. We get on really well together and quite often we go out together for lunch on a Friday as an end-of-week treat.
As I finish up my time here (I can’t believe it’s been a year already!) I really want to take the opportunity to thank everyone at Randox for all their support over the year, and of course to thank my sales team for teaching me so much.
To my Line Manager Rebekah Tougher and to my Global Manager Paul Turnbull in particular I want to say a massive thank you for being such fantastic role models and for truly taking me under your wing and helping me flourish.
The first step in my Business Management career has been amazing and it’s thanks to the amazing team at Randox.
Now time to get my head back into the books for my final year of uni! Wish me luck!
Jenna
We wish Jenna and her fellow placement students all the best as they head back to university. We might even see them return in the future as Randox graduates!
For more We Are Randox stories about our amazing colleagues, make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and follow the hashtag #WeAreRandox.
For current vacancies in our team, visit careers.randox.com
Randox launching new product range at leading laboratory medicine event in USA
A group of 30 delegates from global healthcare company Randox Laboratories has this week travelled to the USA, to take part in the world’s largest diagnostics conference – in San Diego, California.
The American Association of Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Annual Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo, known as the leading event for laboratory medicine worldwide, is attended by over 20,000 delegates from across the globe, and offers Randox the opportunity to showcase their capabilities and to network with leading healthcare professionals and key decision makers.
Launching at this year’s event are a number of innovative and exciting new products, including a test for Acute Kidney Injury, a revolutionary diagnostic for small, dense low density lipoprotein (sLDL), a subtype of LDL cholesterol which is a vital risk marker for cardiovascular disease, and the latest in laboratory quality assurance software.
Chief Scientist at Randox Laboratories, John Lamont, who is heading up the delegation to the US, commented;
“Our very significant investment in research and development means that we have more new tests in development than any other healthcare company in the world. Each year at AACC we are able to bring a wealth of exciting new technologies to the American market, for a range of the world’s pressing health issues in need of the most urgent address. We look forward to showcasing our latest innovations at this year’s AACC conference, and to identifying further potential projects.”
Dr. Peter FitzGerald, Founder and Managing Director of Randox Laboratories, commented;
“We appreciate that post-Brexit there will of course be particular business challenges with regards to international business, but at Randox we will remain committed to developing new health diagnostic technologies in the areas where they are needed most, and to expanding the business in our key markets, such as the US.
“The USA is one of our most important markets and we have been exporting our diagnostic products there since the early 1980s. We will continue to nurture our presence there, the expansion of which will be supported by our soon to be opened facility in Kearneysville, West Virginia, which will enable us to strengthen our position in that market.”
AACC runs from the 30th July – 3rd August at the San Diego Convention Centre. Randox can be found at booth #3839.
For further information about Randox at AACC please contact Randox PR on 028 9445 1016 or email RandoxPR@randox.com
We Are Randox | Secrets of a Graphic Design Team
Ever wondered what it’s like to be part of the Graphic Design team here at Randox? Well who better to ask than one of our Heads of Design, Caoimhin Magee!
From navigating Illustrator to finding inspiration, collaborating on projects to taking part in creative sessions, and following proofing systems to encouraging professional development, Caoimhin shares all the secrets of one of the most creative departments in our global healthcare company.
Here’s Caiomhin’s story.
When I’m telling people the story of how I came to be Head of Design for such a prestigious company as the sponsor of the Randox Health Grand National, I like to start by saying that there is no one way to become a Graphic Designer.
My background is actually in architecture, which I studied at Queen’s University in Belfast for four years. But I realised that it just wasn’t for me. Although there was a certain element of creativity in my architecture degree, there was also a very heavy focus on maths and physics, and it just wasn’t what I pictured myself doing. I started thinking about changing to a fine arts degree to give me a bit more freedom creatively, but instead of rushing in to making a decision, I took some time out to go travelling across Australia and some of South East Asia.
When I returned home I worked for some time in a printing business in Lurgan, designing and printing a range of stationery for local businesses, and menus for local bars and restaurants.
Then I heard about a Graphic Design course at Shillington College, a design school run by a guy called Andy Shillington. He has schools in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, London, Manchester and New York, and so I made my way over to the Manchester school to begin training to be a Graphic Designer.
Basically, it was the same as an undergraduate degree in Graphic Design…
…but squeezed into an intense three months. Everyone studying there had come from different backgrounds and career disciplines but we all started at the same point, learning everything you needed to know to work in the Graphic Design industry – perfecting different design techniques and getting to grips with a range of design software.
Then at the end we were each awarded a Certificate of Education, which is recognised by major design organisations, like Adobe. We all graduated and showcased our work at a Graduate Show in Shillington, which was attended by some really big names in the design community. London might be the most obvious city choice for a design career in the UK, but Manchester is very quickly catching up. There’s a real creative hub there and so on the night of my graduation there some really prestigious designers flicking through my portfolio. I was lucky enough to secure some great freelance work in Manchester and Liverpool after I graduated.
But then I heard about a design job with Randox and it allowed me the opportunity to move back home and to secure a fulltime job.
What’s so great about working here is that you go in, and effectively you’re just given your own brand to make as exciting as you can. You’re immediately given the responsibility and trust that you would only get after working in an agency for several years. Whether you work on the design for Randox Reagents, or Randox Biosciences, or Randox Toxicology, you can go in and put your own stamp on that division.
I always make sure therefore, when talking to designers who are considering coming to work for us, to highlight that there are no Junior Designers in Randox. Everyone works on an equal pegging and we all support each other.
When I moved up to Head of Design here in Randox there were a few new policies that I introduced to improve this sense of collaboration. Even though we each work on our own unique and independent Randox product division, I requested a redesign of the marketing and design office space, so that our designers were each paired off with each other.
Each designer therefore sits beside another designer and we can all keep track of each other’s work and projects, so that we keep a certain level of consistency under the parent brand of Randox. Working in this way also allows us to take inspiration from each other and help complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
For example, our Motion Graphics Designer Anthony obviously has a very particular skillset, so he’s helping me improve my talents in that area. In turn I’m helping him develop his abilities in our Illustrator software because that’s where my own strengths lie.
I’ve also introduced a Design Studio where the work of our designers is showcased for everyone to see. Not only does it instil a sense of pride in our work by using it to decorate the office, and showing it to our colleagues, but again it helps us keep track of what other designers are currently working on and makes sure we’re each using the correct typefaces and established colour schemes. It’s the final stage of the proofing system when we finally see the finished piece of artwork up on the wall for everyone to see.
In the Design Studio you can really see the eclectic mix of projects on which we get to work. It ranges from virtual reality video, to app design, to brochures for global events like AACC, the American Association of Clinical Chemistry. There is such variety in what we do and there’s always a new challenge to put your hand to. Randox is the perfect place to be if you want to grow your skillset.
Working here also provides us with the opportunity to develop key business skills in the design market. Relationship building with printers for example, is key, and we do that pretty much every day here. I honestly can’t think of anywhere else that offers the same level of professional development as Randox.
I’m very proud of the team we now have in place here. We all work really well together and are making such good progress in our own capabilities and confidence. We even have a Summer Placement Student, Katie, currently working with us, who is really impressing everybody with her ability and enthusiasm.
I’m sure that the Graphic Design team at Randox will continue to grow and develop, and I can’t wait to see where the coming months and years will take us.
For more We Are Randox stories about our amazing colleagues, make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and follow the hashtag #WeAreRandox.
For current vacancies in our team, visit careers.randox.com
Pictured above: The Randox Graphic Design Team
Front row left to right: Anne Smith, Katie McLernon, Melissa Hull
Middle row left to right: Elizabeth Moran, Amy Fekkes, Anthony Heaney
Back row left to right: Niall McCafferty, Maxwell Brown, Colm Douglas, Caoimhin Magee
Over 100 Dairy Cows put down following Ergotism Outbreak in New Zealand
This week over 100 cows on a farm in New Zealand had to be put down after digesting fungus from an infected feed supply. The herd in the Southland and Otago regions was suffering from ergot toxicity. Randox Food Diagnostics have developed the only test for this fungus on the market, which can protect your animals from injury or death.
Ergot Alkaloids are a naturally occurring fungus most commonly found in grains and grasses. Produced by a group of fungi called the Claviceps species, they infect seed heads of plants during the flowering period. The fungus replaces the developing grain with toxic ergot. The dry summer and wet autumn this year provided the optimum growing conditions for the fungus.
Typically, it causes lameness and swelling of the fetlocks and hock joints but in the most severe cases animals can lose tips of their tails, or ears or even their hooves. As in this case, it can result in animals being put down.
While all animals are at risk of contracting ergot, it is most commonly found in cattle.
According to the report, VetSouth Winton veterinarian Hayden Dore confirmed four cases have been reported in Southland and South Otago with a large number of infected cows.
“Over time it effectively causes one or more of the limbs to become gangrenous. Signs of ergot toxicity generally start with a disinterest in feed, before moving to lameness in the limbs, which presented similarly to foot rot, but without the separation of the toes. Once the limbs go cold from lack of blood supply, it would take about a week before the limbs began to fall off,” he said.
“One herd with 900 milking cows had around 130 cows infected by the poisonous fungus, with subsequently 61 of them being put down.”
Testing for Ergot Alkaloids
Randox Food Diagnostics offer the only array on the market to test for Ergot Alkaloids. Validated for flour and seed, the ELISA test offers excellent limits of detection for the toxin Ergotamine at 1ppb.
Click here for more information on the Ergot Alkaloid ELISA kit or email info@randoxfooddiagnostics.com and your area’s Business Development Executive will contact you.
Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs visits Randox Antrim Show
With 111 years of events under its belt, the Antrim Agricultural Show is one of the longest running and most highly regarded of Northern Ireland’s regional agricultural shows.
Now in its 112th year, and with the backing of a new title sponsor in the form of Antrim-headquartered Randox Laboratories, the show has drawn in its largest crowd to date, with thousands of guests turning up for the Randox Antrim Show 2017, held in Shane’s Castle on Saturday 22nd July.
A special guest to this year’s event was Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Michael Gove, visiting the Randox Antrim Show to show his support for the local farming community. During his visit to the popular agricultural show, Mr. Gove stopped by the Randox marquee to chat to Managing Director Dr. Peter FitzGerald, and Senior Manager Mark Campbell, about the company’s patented Biochip Array Technology.
With applications in human health, animal health, and food safety, the Biochip has revolutionised the diagnostics industry because it allows multiple tests to be carried out from a single sample on a single testing platform. Of particular interest to the Secretary of State and to the guests in attendance at this year’s Randox Antrim Show, was the Mycotoxin Biochip, capable of detecting all ten of the world’s most prevalent toxins in animal feed.
Stuart Penrose, Global Marketing Manager for the Randox Biochip, commented;
“Not only does the Randox Antrim Show offer us the opportunity to support the local community in which Randox has grown and flourished over the years, but through this partnership we can also offer that very same community the very latest in diagnostic technology to keep their livestock safe, happy, and importantly, healthy. What your animal eats plays a huge role in their health so with Randox Food Diagnostics you can rest assured that what you are giving your livestock is of the highest quality.”
Also on offer in the Randox marquee at the Randox Antrim Show was a free health analysis, conducted by the Randox Health team. Guests to the tent had the opportunity to find out their true body age – determined by weight, height, blood pressure, fat distribution and muscle distribution, among other measurements taken by a member of the team from Randox Health, the world’s most comprehensive and personalised health screening programme.
Designed to determine the status of your current health, but also to map out your future health, Randox Health constantly works to keep your body healthy. Unlike any other health care, Randox Health doesn’t wait until you are sick to make you better. Hundreds of guests at the Randox Antrim Show queued up in their droves to find out more, and so can you. Simply click here.
For more information about the Randox Antrim Show, please contact Randox PR: email randoxpr@randox.com or phone 028 9442 2413.
Randox increases exports and secures new business in China
Following the launch of its new Chinese market expansion programme in December 2016, global healthcare diagnostics company Randox Laboratories has made significant strides in its business with China, successfully increasing its exports and enabling new business opportunities within the country.
The firm has just returned from a business trip to China to meet new distributors and customers acquired over the last six months, and to train this recently acquired distributor network on Randox’s latest healthcare technologies, with a key focus on the company’s RIQAS programme, the world’s largest External Quality Assessment scheme for laboratories.
Ying Zhu, Sales Manager for Randox Laboratories in China, commented on the success Randox has seen in China over the last six months;
“China is one of our key markets and although our world-leading diagnostic products have been sold there for more than 20 years, we continue to increase our business presence there thanks to increased output from our innovative R&D programmes, and enhanced manufacturing capabilities, including new facilities at the Randox Science Park, our new headquarters in County Antrim. These infrastructural developments have resulted in an increasing range of products which we can now offer to growing and dynamic markets such as China. This increasing range of products coupled with a growing market presence has significantly increased our business penetration and subsequent support to customers.”
Since the launch of the market expansion programme last year Randox has successfully secured distributors across four of the largest provinces of China and has partnered with key hospitals in Guangzhou, Shanghai and Wuhan.
Margaret Fick, RIQAS Scientist added;
“At our most recent training conference in China, in addition to the educational seminars I conducted with my colleagues, we were also delighted to be able to host several of our newly acquired hospital partners, who presented to our audience of current and potential customers on how their laboratories have benefited from our Randox Quality Control products. The use of testimonials from high profile individuals who have experienced the quality, efficiency and reliability of our products is accelerating our growth across China and this is set to continue over the coming months and years.”
For further information about Randox in China please contact Randox PR on 028 9445 1016 or email RandoxPR@randox.com
