Fast Track Delivery of Alternative Protein Bioreactor Skid

Situation

Next Rung Technology was contracted by a client in the alternative proteins sector to procure a 200 Liter bioreactor skid and deliver it to their facility within three months. This bioreactor was needed to provide proof of concept for their proprietary process and enable fundraising and investment.

Process

A piece of new equipment was out of the question for this project timeline, so Next Rung began by acquiring a previously used skid. In close collaboration with a PLC panel shop, a PLC programmer, and a qualified fabricator, the skid was quickly assessed for what was still good and what would need replacement. A new control panel was built to replicate the original functionality, and a new program was developed. The fabricator was able to identify valves, instruments, and piping that needed to be replaced and procurement duties were split between the fabricator and Next Rung—with a focus on the quickest delivery possible.

Outcomes

Next Rung and the team of subcontractors were able to complete final assembly and Factory Acceptance Testing, providing the skid to the client site within the three month time window. A flexible approach and collaborative problem-solving enabled the company to acquire proof-of-concept capabilities in record time. We continue to support this client as they scale and grow, and are developing their next pilot / production scale facility at this time.