Eli Lilly – QC Laboratory

The existing 1930 Grade 11 listed building situated in the heart of the manufacturing site at Basingstoke houses offices, restaurants and laboratories.

The existing QC Laboratories situated on the top floor below a plant floor included a range of test facilities to support the manufacturing process, incorporating a Microbiology suite.

The QC Laboratory facility needed to be upgraded to provide additional space for increased test requirements. The requirement extended to improvements to the cGMP operational regimes particularly with respect to the Microbiology suite.

Eli Lilly were also developing a new operational methodology for QC called “lean lab” working. This methodology mirrors the manufacturing process and identifies more efficient laboratory operations.

Austin worked closely with Eli Lilly to develop the space planning for the laboratory floor upgrade to meet the new “lean lab” philosophy.

It was critical for the QC functions to be fully operational during construction work. As a result, a detailed strategy for decanting, temporary moves and a phased construction activity was developed.

Building services were carefully coordinated to ensure full functionality during decanting from one area to another, demolitions and new fit-out installation.

Structural and spatial constraints were an additional challenge to be assimilated as part of the overall design and construction strategy. Existing penetrations through floors were incorporated into the design strategy. Existing outlets from the plant floor were also used and new penetrations minimised in order to maintain the integrity of the listed building facades.

Part of the decanting philosophy required the provision of a new sectional building, adjacent to the existing building, to accommodate the Microbiology laboratory. Although a temporary building, the Micro Laboratory had to be fully cGMP compliant.

Austin provided in-house process expertise to carry out a cGMP audit for the new laboratory.

The solution was an upgraded laboratory floor providing a cGMP compliant facility to reflect the requirements for the new “lean lab” operational philosophy.