CHICAGO, Jan. 18, 2012— LabwellSM, a laboratory support services provider that helps labs operate at optimum efficiency, today reveals the initial results of the company’s work pioneering a new lab operations support approach for research and development (R&D.) Driven by a need to focus on increasing R&D efficiencies as documented in the recent Jones Lang LaSalle Life Sciences Cluster Report, corporate end users in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries have reported an average of 10 to 20 percent laboratory operational cost savings by centralizing and outsourcing their non-core functions utilizing the holistic approach to lab operations developed by Labwell. Labwell, a division of Jones Lang LaSalle, has been in operation for nearly a year and these savings were reported by the initial study of five clients using Labwell solutions.
With $123 billion in venture capital funding targeting the life sciences sector, businesses are paying attention to ways to demonstrate they are mindful of the bottom line. The trends driving a new look at lab operations are well documented in the life science cluster report, which states that large pharmaceutical companies, large biopharmaceutical companies and small biotechnology firms are focusing on increasing research and development efficiencies. One approach they are taking to assist in meeting this critical goal is the outsourcing of non-core activities such as laboratory support services. That said, in both emerging and established life sciences clusters, transitioning to a centralized laboratory support services structure can run counter to the traditionally highly independent corporate cultures of research groups.
In response to the need for lab operators to balance their occupancy and location strategies, growth initiatives, increasing industry competition, and laboratory operation costs, Jones Lang LaSalle launched Labwell, a single source provider of comprehensive solutions to optimize laboratory operations that provides scalable, on-site services to these companies. Often it was not feasible for a small life sciences company to “justify” the deployment of on-site resources by a service provider, yet there was a clear need for these services, especially in established clusters. Labwell’s integrated services delivery model combined with its “hub & spoke” resource allocation methodology cleanly addresses these issues and provides a fully scalable services offering.
Labwell is an agnostic laboratory support services provider, without any products to sell or vendors to push, with its focus being on reducing costs and improving efficiencies while maintaining quality in laboratory areas such as research and development by freeing lab personnel to focus on core activities. Many times, laboratory support services are provided by equipment manufacturers or distributors, a paradigm that does not consistently fully leverage cost reduction opportunities.
“There is $123 billion in venture capital now going into life sciences companies and the industry is just now beginning to look to its operational procedures to help accommodate growth and position their companies to capture competitive advantage through a leading operational and locational position,” said Howard J. Rosenberg, Ph.D., and executive director of solutions development for Labwell. “The results of our initial client studies show encouraging savings averages for the typical bottom line benefit we can achieve for R&D laboratory spaces by integrating facility management strategy with our scientific background and fundamental understanding of how to maximize lab facility operations.”
Dr. Rosenberg is one of the laboratory processes and operations subject matter experts that Jones Lang LaSalle recruited to establish this program for the industry. He has achieved broad success in the life sciences, chemical/petrochemical, food & beverages, environmental and process industries. Dr. Rosenberg is well known for delivering and sustaining business results in the scientific enterprise software, analytical instruments and outsourced services arenas.
The Labwell leadership team also includes Bill Barrett, executive managing director for Labwell and who leads Jones Lang LaSalle’s life sciences business. Barrett is widely known as an expert in streamlining and transforming complex technical operations and for providing clients with overall global real estate and integrated facility management solutions. He brings to Labwell deep expertise in reducing operational costs and improving quality of service at R&D and technical facilities. “Labwell is already delivering tangible value through integrated laboratory support to life sciences companies of all sizes,” said Barrett. “We have knowledgeable, specialized resources who deliver our outsourced logistics and supply services, scientific enabling services, and equipment and instrument services. The outsourcing of these non-core functions reduces costs by an average 10 to 20 percent.”
Jones Lang LaSalle CEO of Corporate Solutions Tod Lickerman agrees that Labwell can have a big impact on lab efficiency. “Our approach delivers a flexible, scalable, self-performing delivery model that combines lab operations expertise with best practices in integrated services delivery and process improvement. We see a step-change opportunity to improve the lab services delivery model and realize cost and efficiency improvements. Isn’t it time your laboratories are as smart as your scientists?”
As an industry leader in facility and property management, providing services to more than 250 major corporations totalling 1.8 billion square feet of real estate globally, Jones Lang LaSalle creates a solution with Labwell that leverages decades of experience working with top pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies as an effective service provider capable of delivering significant year-over-year cost savings.
About Labwell
Labwell is a unique new laboratory support services provider dedicated to helping laboratories operate at optimum efficiency. We combine business savvy and process improvement with capability breadth and single-source efficiency to deliver real, measurable value. www.labwellservices.com
About Jones Lang LaSalle
Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE:JLL) is a financial and professional services firm specializing in real estate. The firm offers integrated services delivered by expert teams worldwide to clients seeking increased value by owning, occupying or investing in real estate. With 2010 global revenue of more than $2.9 billion, Jones Lang LaSalle serves clients in 70 countries from more than 1,000 locations worldwide, including 200 corporate offices. The firm is an industry leader in property and corporate facility management services, with a portfolio of approximately 1.8 billion square feet worldwide. LaSalle Investment Management, the company’s investment management business, is one of the world’s largest and most diverse in real estate with $47.9 billion of assets under management. For further information, please visit our website, www.joneslanglasalle.com.
