20 Years of Pioneering PCR Plastics

Celebrations have taken place to mark 20 years of expertise in highprecision plastic injection moulding at the Thermo Fisher Scientific centre of excellence for plastics and tool making in Ashford, Kent, England. Used and relied on by life scientists worldwide, Thermo Scientific ABgene™ PCR plates and tubes made at the site are known worldwide for their quality, reliability and innovative and problemsolving designs.

The precision-engineered, superior quality Thermo Scientific ABgene PCR plastics range, which has been developed and produced in Ashford since 1990, came under the Thermo Fisher Scientific umbrella in November 2006. Manufacturing expertise at the facility has enabled the company to introduce many important design features to PCR plates including thin-walled wells that allow rapid and uniform heat transfer for reduced cycle times and improved sensitivity. Optically clear wells, with an exceptionally smooth surface to prevent binding of enzymes, primers and templates, and raised well rims, which ensure a good seal and protect valuable samples from cross-contamination and loss through evaporation, are examples of other innovative products developed and manufactured at the facility. The state-of-the-art ISO class 8 (100,000) injection moulding cleanroom also ensures that the quality of Thermo Scientific ABgene PCR plastics remains the best in the industry.