Lab Bench Australia case study

Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Lab Bench Australia has selected Atdec as its specialist vendor of monitor and device mounts, based on product performance and longevity in the challenging environments typical of Lab Bench customers. The selection of Atdec came within a successful end-to-end strategic review project aimed to expand the modular Lab Bench range, increase delivery velocity, and further enhance customer satisfaction.

Prior to the review, Lab Bench designed and fabricated all bench components in-house. Incorporation of expert vendor components enabled Lab Bench to focus on its core competitive advantage building robust benches. The approach resulted in increased efficiency and delivery velocity, and enhanced customer satisfaction.

Lab Bench chose the modular AWM family of products. Atdec’s flagship workspace mount, AWM enables virtually any configuration of all display and device types. AWM mounts are ergonomic in sit-to-stand and mobile laboratory conditions, highly stable, easy to set up, and chemically resistant. Lab Bench specified a collection of AWM products for the core modular program, including mounting posts, device tray, and arms for different device weights – with confidence that the wider AWM family was available for custom Lab Bench builds.

Lab Bench customers include Fonterra, CSIRO, Sydney Water, and NSW Health.

Lab Bench Australia builds specialist laboratory instrument benches and workstation areas, for mobile or static deployment. The benches are built for the customer’s required instruments, workspace needs, and ancillary equipment, typically making each Lab Bench construction unique. Lab Bench frequently builds solutions for mass spectrometry and chromatography, which cost from tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars and weigh hundreds of kilograms. Instrument housing is central to reliable operation and longevity protection, making the benches a vital consideration. Director Jonathan Whiting founded Lab Bench in 2014 based on his experience in carpentry, construction, and high-performance systems, and his laboratory sector networks enabled the company to grow organically with prestigious Australian and New Zealand government and private sector clients.

Headquartered in Moruya on the south coast of New South Wales (NSW), Lab Bench was severely impacted by the 2019-2020 Australian bushfires. This led Whiting to commence a review of strategy, product, and delivery, targeting efficiencies and positioning the business for scale. Experienced analysts and consultants were engaged for the process, via government initiatives in support of bushfire affected communities.

Recommendations arising from the review included:

• Expanded codification of the modular Lab Bench program and proportional reduction in custom builds
• Narrowed manufacturing focus to core Lab Bench features in which the business has a quantifiable competitive advantage
• Engagement of specialist manufacturers for other product features, such as monitor and device mounts

These recommendations were planned to resolve the high cost associated with custom component and bench delivery, and to streamline operations. They incorporate expert OEM vendors such as Atdec to enhance customer experience and radically simplify the new Lab Bench modular approach. Holistically these steps were intended to increase efficiency and set a foundation for the company to grow at scale.

In adopting the recommendations Lab Bench expanded available modular options approximately 30%, with almost all subsequent sales accommodated within the standard modular package rather than as custom designs. Efficiency targets were achieved within months, including 20% faster delivery velocity.

Lab Bench programmatically identified and evaluated potential OEM vendors, including consideration of multiple display and device mount manufacturers. Atdec ranked highly in the evaluation, both for product performance and partnership potential. Whiting appreciated Atdec as an Australian owned business with local support and R&D to draw on when challenges arose. Lab Bench specified a small collection of six Atdec AWM units for its modular package. Those six units enable a diversity of display configurations and heights for most all-in-one devices and displays currently used in the industry.

AWM is primarily used in workspaces, and was designed for high-performance, elegance, and ergonomics. Many of these features benefit Lab Bench customers, such as AWM adjustability supporting mobility and multi-user comfort and built-in cable management channels to alleviate clutter. However, challenging environmental conditions typical of laboratories were also handled by AWM. Lab Bench routinely accommodates loud vibrating equipment such as vacuum pumps operating at 110dBA, which could have caused unstable mount performance. This was avoided by the combined effect of AWM’s stability, including internal cushioning and multi-point tensioning, and specialist Lab Bench noise-reducing cabinetry. AWM also provides chemical resistance; aluminum is the primary material in the mount’s manufacture, joined by stainless steel, polyurethane coating, and nylon and acetal thermoplastics. These materials are relatively strong and resistant to solvents, to balance resistivity and robust service (10-year warranty). AWM is recyclable at its end-of-life. Lab Bench specified black AWM products for the modular program, to blend with the most common device enclosures. AWM is available in black, silver, and white, and Lab Bench has used the other finishes for custom laboratory projects.

Lab Bench’s modular program provides customers a high degree of flexibility in their configuration, including number of display or device mounts and location on the bench. It was found that most customers opted for a dual display setup per workstation area, usually mounted at left or right. After completing cabinetry, Lab Bench usually mounts an Atdec AWM-P75G post with two monitor arms, either AWM-A46 or AWM-A71 depending on device size and capacity requirements. The AWM-A46 arm is most popular in Lab Bench projects, to carry displays and devices up to 12kg, or 8kg where the device is deeply curved or offset.