For a company that works with laboratory supplies and equipment every day, finding ways to manage costs is essential, especially as many specialized lab essentials see year-over-year price increases. At Integrated Micro-Chromatography Systems, Inc. (IMCS), we saw costs rise by 18-25%, but found an opportunity to reduce them through a resource we were already familiar with: SCbio.
Based out of Irmo, South Carolina, IMCS develops enzymes for clinical and toxicology laboratories, micro-chromatography solutions for life sciences, and glycobiology reagents for research and therapeutic applications. Our products support applications ranging from urine drug testing to biomolecule purification, bioprocess screening, protein formulations for higher stabilities and novel reagents that were previously not available to the scientific community.
As a member of SCbio since 2014, we have had positive experiences with the association’s partner resources, so when SCbio introduced SCbioEdge at its 2023 Life + Science Annual Conference in Charleston, we decided to take a closer look.
The goal of SCbioEdge was to establish a network of biotech-focused product and service companies that provide SCbio members with savings on everything from healthcare benefit solutions to laboratory supplies and services. For IMCS, the program was well timed, convenient to join, and ultimately, a significant source of savings.
Shortly after the conference, SCbio Director of Member Relations and Engagement Carla Whitlock presented the available offerings, and the Fisher Scientific Preferred Partner opportunity immediately caught our attention. We had been buying supplies from Thermo Fisher, Fisher Scientific and other major laboratory suppliers for years, so the opportunity to save on products we were already purchasing made sense for our company.
The SCbioEdge program features Fisher Scientific, not Thermo Fisher, as its preferred vendor. Although the two companies offer similar product lines, they operate under different models. SCbio introduced us to the Fisher Scientific team and outlined potential savings, including free shipping and product discounts, so we decided to give the program a try.
Getting started was simple. We executed an agreement naming Fisher Scientific as a strategic partner, set up our user profile and began purchasing through the program.
Our most recent financial review showed that IMCS has saved tens of thousands of dollars over the past several years through the SCbioEdge program. Those savings have allowed us to invest in our people and in research we might not otherwise have been able to afford.
For IMCS, SCbioEdge has turned a routine business expense into an opportunity to put more resources toward our company and our work. For South Carolina biotech companies considering the value of SCbio membership, our experience provides clear, empirical evidence of a resounding “yes”!
Written by: Mark Hanna, Chief Revenue Officer of IMCS