Thermal Transfer secures sterilisation suite contract

Specialist contractor Thermal Transfer (TT) has been awarded a £5.25m contract to design and build a new medical instrument sterilisation suite and manufacturing facility for medical device company Vernon-Carus at its Matrix Park site in Chorley in the UK.

The 8000m² two-storey building will house, alongside the medical instrument sterilisation suite and manufacturing facility, a warehouse, offices and reception. TT will be responsible for the design and build of all the classified and unclassified rooms, including the 2000m² medical instrument sterilisation suite for infection control and a similar size production cleanroom, principally for the manufacture of sterile wound care products. The first phase will consist of the unclassified production facility that will include kitting, packing and sterilisation areas. The medical instrument sterilisation suite will make up the final phase of the project and will consist of a trolley reception, unpacking and wash area, with clean transfer to a class 8 repacking and sterilisation rooms. An associated plant room, including clean steam generation and air handling units with HEPA grade air filtration, will be located in the upper storey of the building. The suite is scheduled for completion early in 2006, and will be available to private and public healthcare providers. "Our new facility at Matrix Park represents a key development in the rapidly changing environment of the provision of sterile services within the healthcare sector," said Vernon-Carus. "The importance of ensuring that all aspects of this prestigious build programme were both on budget and to the highest standards were key from the start for all the project teams."