May 18, 2020 -- Thermo Fisher Scientific announced that it has received a contract from the U.S. government to provide highly specialized viral transport media for COVID-19 sample collection. To fulfill the contract, the company will expand capacity with a $40 million facility.
To ensure accuracy of COVID-19 test results, viral transport media must be manufactured and dispensed into aseptic tubes. Thermo Fisher currently manufactures the media at its Lenexa, KS site and has recently ramped up production to more than 1 million viral transport media-filled tubes per week.
The new Lenexa facility will expand the company's production capacity and will be dedicated to viral transport media production and quality control. Production will be scaled up to more than 8 million viral transport media-filled tubes per week. The new facility will be completed in the third quarter and will create approximately 300 new full-time jobs, according to the company.