At MarathonLS, it is our mission to listen to the needs and feedback of our customers and to then deliver solutions that combat those challenges. Marathon Pacer, our uniquely tailored VMI (vendor managed inventory) program, was built from the diligent feedback and advisory of lab operations teams, scientists and finance teams. As a result, we have created an inventory management program that satisfies the objectives and exceeds the expectations of all of key stakeholders. Marathon is happy to share exciting updates to Marathon Pacer.

Marathon Pacer is based on four core pillars of success: diverse products and brands, experienced support teams, technology, and off-site storage management.

Diverse Products and Brands

The Pacer team will purchase whichever products your scientists prefer on your behalf. At Marathon, we understand that scientists have preferences when it comes to the lab products they use. Scientists can try something new, or stick with what they know. Marathon has a portfolio of high quality and in stock lab consumables, most of which are made in the USA. Marathon also has the relationships, market insights, and negotiating power with top consumables manufacturers so that your team of scientists have exactly what they need, when they need it to keep research moving forward.

The Pacer purchasing team is continuously looking for product deals and low rates to save money for your lab and actively mitigates the risk of backorders by offering in-stock alternative products. Here’s what customers say about our solutions:

“The team that we have been provided, they all think ahead when it comes to where the situation is. They have gone above and beyond when it comes to something that have may become a stockout, they say, ‘hey this Marathon product is in stock, are you willing to give a shot in order to make sure you have stock?’ and we’ll order that … And literally, they take it from the Canton warehouse and deliver it here by hand … it’s completely amazing.”

Experience Support Teams

The Marathon Pacer team has over 125 years of combined experience in the areas of demand planning, logistics and supply chain and financial management. The Pacer team collaborates with your team to understand your operational and financial goals and create a tailored solution to enable inventory management best practices within your lab.

Our team of Pacer Success Managers directly manages your inventory through regularly scheduled on-site visits and are always on call for support. Initial on-site support includes organization of your storeroom and points of use, accounting for missing or expired products, and ensuring your lab space is stocked and arranged to its most efficient potential. Their regular on-site visits include stocking, counting, organizing and receiving. The Pacer Success Managers continuously evaluate the overall status of your lab and work alongside you, to ensure your needs and wants are met.

Technology

Marathon has developed a software exclusively used with Pacer to offer real time visibility to inventory and key product metrics. The software offers dashboards including stock details, suggested orders, inventory on hand and inventory changes. All of these reports inform charts and graphs where you can see the quantity of products on hand as well as how much capital is tied up in each product. The Pacer software dashboard ensures the convenience, ease and transparency to real time inventory so that there are never disruptions to workflows within labs.

Off-site Storage Management

Lab space and benches are not cheap. Too often, we see these spaces misused as overflow storage space. Partnering with Pacer prolongs your cashflow runway as it has proven to save our clients on average, $200,000 per year in costs associated with storage, headcount, expediting fees and lost productivity. The majority of these savings come from reclaiming premium real estate for laboratory bench space, instead of storage. Pacer allows you to keep the ideal number of products on-site and store your safety stock in one of our local warehouses. The Pacer team will deliver products as needed based on just-in-time inventory methodologies.

Begin Your Journey

Marathon has built Pacer through diligent feedback and advisory of both lab operations teams and finance teams. Pacer has created a solution that satisfies the objectives of these key stakeholders. Our customers have shared with us that Marathon has created an inventory management program that they had always hoped for. To begin your journey with Marathon Pacer, schedule a discovery workshop today.

Consolidating and Protecting Your Inventory

During the height of the pandemic and over the course of the past few years, many laboratories faced product stock outs and backorders due to the lack of readily available inventory and supply chain instability. In a scramble to continue research and discovery, many labs overpurchased and stocked up from any and all vendors who had products in stock. Fast forward a few years, and supply chains have stabilized, but stockpiles and inventory issues remain. Labs are left with overcrowded stock rooms filled with inconsistent, inadequate and expired products.

Why Consolidate Inventory?

Orderly Stockrooms

Small discrepancies among products are a result of ordering from different vendors and are affecting scientists’ day to day tasks. Using products with slight variations can cause imbalances and skewed lab results. Inadequate products purchased in a pinch can also skew results and may end up creating haphazard stockrooms once the adequate product is received. When multiple products are purchased from various vendors, they become harder to keep track of adding to the clutter and disorganization of stockrooms, eventually filled with expired and lost products.

Consolidating to a single vendor mitigates the risk of discrepancies among products. You know how the product will function every time. Using one supplier can also promote organization within your stockrooms as products can be grouped together rather than grouped together by category then supplier at best. When purchasing through one vendor, it is likely you will have easy access to portals and dashboards to keep better track of what is coming in. Later in this blog, purchasing and procurement options with Marathon will be described to best consolidate and protect your consumables.

Drive Cost Savings

In addition to orderly stockrooms, there are also several financial benefits associated with consolidation. When you purchase higher volumes with a single supplier, the cost per unit often decreases. Placing larger orders at a time and purchasing in bulk can reduce shipping costs, too. Money is saved when you know what you have on hand. Accounting for what is in your stockroom is easier to track when working with a single vendor. Gone are the days of throwing out money when you throw out expired products.

Inventory consolidation leads to fewer financial headaches. When working with a single vendor the number of SKUs reduce. SKU reduction results in less purchase orders, item receipts, bills, and payments to be handled by operations and finance teams. Cashflow forecasting is simplified as you will know exactly when each shipment is to be received, invoiced, and paid.

What to Consider in a Supplier when Consolidating Inventory

Choose a Reliable Partner

The most important part of consolidating your inventory to one vendor, is choosing the right partner. Choose a vendor who you feel confident can support your lab. Marathon has a proven track record of reliability, stability and agility. We have proven we can source products when others cannot, especially through the height of the pandemic. We are extremely proud of this and strive to remain in the forefront of customer’s minds when they think of their go-to supplier post pandemic. Our current reliability and relentless efforts to transition all of our manufacturing to the US will allow us to keep this position.

Because Marathon is a small business, we are very responsive and transparent, and pride ourselves on relentless communications. At Marathon, you will be assigned a sales representative. You will not be waiting for a response from an unmonitored mailbox. Being a small business also allows us to be agile and flexible when it comes to adjusting to customer’s unique needs.

Various Ways to Purchase

When selecting a supplier that works best for you, opt for a partner who makes ordering easy, or who even orders on your behalf to remove any stress related to purchasing. Marathon’s mission is to enable the race for innovation. We have remained loyal to our mission and set several programs in place to provide our customers customizable solutions to help facilitate their innovation. Marathon offers standing orders, bulk purchasing, multiple purchasing platforms, and offsite storage solutions.

Marathon’s standing order program allows customers to receive their shipments on a regular cadence. Standing orders not only allow peace of mind for lab managers as they will know exactly when and what they will receive, but also mitigate any risk of outside factors affecting supply chain, subsequently disrupting your day-to-day operations. Several of Marathon’s portfolio offerings can be purchased in bulk at discounted rates. These items can be found on our website, Fisher Scientific, and Amazon. Marathon’s portfolio is also available on Prendio, if you and interested in a one-stop shop for purchasing.

Versatile Products

Consider a supplier who has versatile products with different features. Marathon offers products that are different but can be used interchangeability in a laboratory setting. This helps reduce the number of SKUs in your stockroom. For example, Marathon’s PCR strips with flat cap have the same qualities as that with a dome cap. You can purchase just one of these products that will be able to serve two unique purposes.

Outsourcing Procurement Solutions

As companies grow and expand, outsourcing has become more popular. Life science companies are in the business of innovation and discovery, not operations. For this reason, Marathon has created a solution to best support lab operations through Marathon Pacer, our vendor managed inventory program. Pacer is a strategic vendor managed inventory (VMI) program developed to provide our customers predictable supply in an unpredictable world. We take the burden off of lab mangers and users by absorbing the day to day ordering, stocking and other procurement tasks.

The first step of Pacer is a full lab reset. In this initial phase of the program, the Pacer team accounts for expired and unnecessary items, tallies products on hand, identifies under-and overstock, reconciles outstanding orders and backorders, re-organizes stockroom and points of use, and maps easier consumable distribution within the lab. Starting with Pacer puts your lab on the right track towards vendor consolidation and seamless operations. Customers will also have complete visibility to available stock, ordering cadence and cashflow on our VMI dashboard.

Off-site Storage Options

Customers who work with Pacer also have the option to take advantage of Marathon’s off-site Storage. Off-site storage allows you to purchase your inventory upfront and store it at our local warehouse. Using pre-established par levels and just in time (JIT) methodologies, Marathon ensures your products are delivered to your lab at the right time. Off-site storage allows your stockrooms and points of use to be organized and lean, while providing peace of mind that your next delivery is on its way. Off-site does not mean out-of-sight.

Next Steps

As detailed in this blog, choosing the right vendor to partner with is the most crucial part of consolidation. Marathon offers several solutions to help consolidate and protect your inventory. Inventory consolidation helps protect the integrity of what you have on hand, reduces stress for several departments across life science companies and improves lab efficiencies. For more information on inventory consolidation and to begin your consolidation process, visit us at MarathonLS.com or email us at [email protected].

Carbon Footprint: What It is and How You can Help 

What is Carbon Footprint

Effects of Carbon Footprint

What Marathon is Doing to Decrease our Carbon Footprint

How Transitioning to US Manufacturing Reduces Carbon Footprint

What You can do in Your Day-to-Day Life and in the Workplace

How Marathon LS Ensures Steady and Predictable Supply

US Manufacturing Shortens the Supply Chain

Marathon Pacer Contributes to a Strong Supply Chain

Ongoing Supply Chain Solutions

The Importance of Preventative Maintenance for Lab Equipment

In 2012, billions of dollars and over a decade of ground-breaking Autism research was lost when a freezer malfunctioned at a Harvard-affiliated research center. The freezer held 150 brains, one third of which made up the world’s largest collection of Autism brain samples. As brain samples are extremely difficult and expensive to acquire and maintain, Autism researchers are still making up for the lost samples a decade later. The root of the malfunction was clear- the freezer had not been regularly serviced for preventative maintenance. Unfortunately, when preventative maintenance measures are not routinely performed on lab equipment, these catastrophic losses are not uncommon. Luckily, MarathonLS can support your lab’s preventative maintenance needs. 

What is Preventative Maintenance?

Preventative maintenance is the regular and routine evaluation and repair of an asset to prolong and conserve its lifetime. Preventative maintenance is a common practice among several different industries; transportation, technology, and equipment – you can even view a routine check-up at the doctor as personal preventative maintenance. Preventative maintenance is essentially to combat issues and breakdowns before they occur. It is a critical step in prolonging the life cycle of any integral asset.

Types of Preventative Maintenance

Preventative maintenance, or PM, can include any routine service from cleaning and deep cleaning to repairs and replacement. Marathon offers this entire range.
When a MarathonLS engineer is onsite performing a PM, they will finish the project by cleaning the instrument. If your lab is looking to get an even deeper clean and sanitization, consider scheduling a full lab disinfection with the SteraMist™. Much like your car, lab equipment, too, need oil changes which is why Marathon offers them included in our Preventative Maintenance plan.

Preventative Maintenance with MarathonLS

Preventative maintenance takes minimal effort from lab managers or end users. Simply schedule your annual visit, (or more frequent depending on the lab instrument) and be sure to move products from the instrument beforehand. Preparing for your PM appointment will allow the engineer to be in and out efficiently, so you can get back to your critical research. Preventative maintenance visits are quick – a PM can be less than half hour depending on the instrument and its condition. Before the engineer leaves, they’ll clean the instrument and provide a record of the appointment, so you know when the instrument needs a PM next. If the instrument requires extra labor or new parts, a Marathon team member will follow up with a quote before moving forward with any additional work. Getting your lab equipment routinely serviced can add up in cost, however if you are concerned about the price, rest assured that a routine PM is far less expensive than brand new parts or an instrument replacement. In addition, the most savings and value you are getting with routine PM is peace of mind that your equipment will run seamlessly, and your lab will experience no disruptions.

MarathonLS Service Offerings

In addition to preventative maintenance, MarathonLS also offers other services including, but not limited to full-service contracts, calibration, time and material, lab disinfection and relocation services. You can choose the plan that fits your lab’s needs for optimal uptime and maximum instrument performance. Marathon promises same or next day emergency response time, an extensive spare-parts inventory, relentless communication and has provided over 85 years of laboratory servicing experience. Marathon’s team of engineers are manufactured-trained, meaning that they are experts in their field of service, ensuring your lab receives the highest quality work from those who know best.

Schedule Your Lab Asset’s PM Today

Do not allow something preventative throw off your lab operations’ objectives.
Is it time for your equipment to be serviced? Contact MarathonLS today to book your service.

Vendor Managed Inventory – Predictable Supply in an Unpredictable World

In our previous blog, we highlighted MarathonLS’ commitment to transitioning to U.S. manufacturing, which will result in: enhanced quality, shorter lead-times, and overall product consistency and reliability. A recurring and concerning theme for our customers over the last few years was the instability of global supply chain. External threats such as economic volatility, trade wars, labor shortages and transportation and logistical interruptions has created much uncertainty for our Pharma and Biotech customers. Marathon understands that our customers cannot risk any disruptions to their critical research and development by not having access to the vital lab supplies that they require.

At Marathon, we strive to be the best possible partner for our customers which is why we have coupled our transition to US Manufacturing with the introduction of Marathon Pacer, your lab operation’s procurement partner.

What is Marathon Pacer?

As an organization within MarathonLS, Marathon Pacer is a strategic inventory management and lab operations program developed to provide our clients predictable supply in an unpredictable world. The Marathon Pacer team strives to develop strategic partnerships with laboratory operations professionals who share our vision for operational excellence and an uninterrupted supply chain.

Program Capabilities

Pacer is based on a Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) model where a Marathon specialist organizes, orders, and replenishes stock, while analyzing and reacting to usage trends to ensure optimal productivity within your lab.  It is a personalized service designed to ensure your lab does not skip a step in its race towards innovation.

The Pacer Process

Pacer is broken up into three phases; reset, optimize, and keep pace.

Upon initial engagement with Pacer, a Marathon specialist- Pacer Coordinator- will clear out discontinued and expired products and organize stock rooms and points of use. All products are then counted and tallied. The Pacer Coordinator collaborates with end users to see what products need to be replenished and which are not currently in use.

Based on data-driven trends, minimum and maximum inventory levels will be set using just in time (JIT) inventory management, so stockrooms are optimally stocked. Minimum and maximum levels will be agreed upon and refined over time based on your lab’s actual use.

The Pacer Coordinator continues to provide weekly inventory counts and will purchase and replenish on your behalf of both Marathon and non-Marathon products based on the set par levels. They will not only coordinate with lab end users on items that need to be added and removed from the common stock list, but also hold regular, unobtrusive meetings with department heads to anticipate usage and any evolving factors which may impact demand.

The diagram below outlines this process.

MarathonLS is Leading the Industry Towards 100% US Manufactured Lab Consumables

Manufacturers of automobiles, semiconductors, defense, and pharmaceuticals are embracing a new strategy as these industries are leading the resurgence of regaining some of the manufacturing output they were forced to relinquish to other countries during the past decade. Since the pandemic began, efforts to relocate manufacturing have accelerated within several US industries.

We recently wrote about how laboratories can overcome supply shortages by outsourcing laboratory supplies. In this blog we want to highlight one of the key criteria in the decision-making process when evaluating an outsourced supplier: the manufacturing location.

Several years of dependence on offshore factories has been overturned by delays, surging freight rates, and overwhelmed ports. Furthermore, challenges of obtaining raw material and products in a timely manner has convinced organizations to reevaluate how to manufacture their supply.

Why has Marathon made it our mission to commit to US manufacturing?

Mitigating the impact of geopolitical uncertainties with global supply chain

Over the last two years, US manufacturers have witnessed several disruptions within their operating environments that resulted in increased complexity, higher costs, and inefficiencies throughout their supply chains. External threats such as tariffs, global sanctions and disrupted access to suppliers have brought global supply chain practices to its knees and continue to remain at a heightened level of volatility. In addition, unforeseen military emergencies have affected several trade routes and key shipping channels which has resulted in increase costs of raw materials and logistics.

MarathonLS is confident that we can mitigate supply chain risks by localizing and reshoring parts of our manufacturing. We are committed to continuing to stabilize our supply chain to ensure that our customers do not face any disruptions to the critical projects and research that they are conducting inside of their labs.

More control over quality

At Marathon, quality product is standard for us. Over the years, we have built strong relationships with our offshore suppliers that have resulted in consistent quality across our portfolio. However, due to recent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, maintaining such high standards has proven itself to be more difficult. In order to consistently meet our quality standard and quick turn-around, we know that we must bring manufacturing back to the US.

Not only will this allow us to have more control over the quality of our products, but also have stronger communication throughout our supply chain.  Ease of communication will allow us to stop problems before they start. If there are quality control issues, we have the ability to see it first-hand rather than after it gets in the hands of our customers.

Shorter lead-times

When working with offshore manufacturers, there are certain aspects throughout production that are out of the supplier’s control; hold-ups at the port, transportation issues, high tariffs, surcharges and what seems like ever-present shortages. In turn, these can detrimentally impact the end user and disrupt or pause their work. When supporting an industry as pivotal as life sciences, this simply can not happen.

Transitioning manufacturing to the US will help eliminate these challenges while providing great benefits. When working with domestic manufacturing, there are fewer barriers to entry; culturally, logistically, and monetarily. There are no hold ups at the ports, there is less risk of staffing issues, if borders shut down, our supply chain will not be directly affected, and simply due to distance, products can be moved faster. We are confident that transitioning manufacturing back to the US will mitigate several disruptions throughout the supply chain, guiding us towards shorter lead times allowing us to focus on our customers’ critical needs.

Reduction in storage costs by eliminating the need to stockpile

It is evident that many of our customers, and members of other industries, have had to maintain significant inventory on hand to meet their needs in fear that they will run out of product due to supply chain issues and shortages. As we move manufacturing onshore, we can provide our customers with the confidence of a secure and steady supply chain. Having a reliable supply chain will alleviate the need to hold excess inventory, therefore, freeing up precious space and eliminating the need to pay for surplus warehousing.

In addition, transitioning our manufacturing state-side will eliminate many of our costs such as tariffs on imports and gas surcharges. This will allow us to offset some of our own expenses as manufacturing in the US is fundamentally more expensive than overseas. Along with optimizing procurement, transitioning to the US may positively impact our customer’s bottom line, too, as a reliable supply chain may reduce carrying costs of their own.

More to come…

Watch this space as we are in the process of unfolding an innovative program exclusively for our customers that will address some of the challenges we have highlighted above.

Why choose MarathonLS?

At the core, Marathon’s strategic mission to transition to US manufacturing is to ensure our customers can always rely on us for quality products, which are reliable and accessible so that their labs can continue to focus on innovation.

Contact MarathonLS, and let’s talk about how we can support your laboratory.

Overcoming Unprecedented Times by Outsourcing Laboratory Supplies

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused laboratory supply shortages all around the world. As the demand for tests and vaccines has skyrocketed, labs have found it more difficult to get hold of supplies. Anything plastic, as well as any form of cold storage, has become a rare and expensive commodity in the scientific community.

If your laboratory has been struggling to find the tools it needs to keep up, you’re not alone. More and more laboratories are outsourcing their laboratory supplies, freeing up time and resources for their vital work.

Do you want easier access to the supplies your laboratory needs? Keep reading, and we’ll tell you how outsourcing can help you stay on track in these unprecedented times.

Why Outsource Laboratory Supplies?

At first glance, outsourcing may seem like a risky prospect. Can you really trust an external supplier to deliver the goods and services you need?

For businesses across the world, the answer is an enthusiastic yes! Here are a few of the benefits outsourcing supplies can bring to your laboratory.

Cost Efficiency

For laboratories operating within strict funding constraints, cost management is critical. The shortages caused by the pandemic have led to spiraling costs, jeopardizing research and career milestones for scientists everywhere.

A third-party laboratory supplier can help by negotiating lower prices for your supplies. Suppliers know and understand the market and can bring that knowledge to bear during procurement. That means lower costs for your laboratory without any compromise on the quality of supplies.

Time Efficiency

Sourcing laboratory supplies can take time. You need to research to find the best products for your lab, then investigate the best supplier – and that’s all before you actually place the order.

When you outsource, you hand over all that work to a company that understands the industry. They’re equipped to find what you need quickly and efficiently. Your laboratory will enjoy shorter lead times on supply delivery, even with the pandemic putting pressure on supply chains.

Data and Insight

A third-party supplier can offer valuable data on supply chains, as well as insight into what the data means. Your laboratory can use that information to stay ahead of any problems in supply. That means you can plan ahead to accommodate potential shortages or delays.

Working with a supplier will enable your laboratory to hit targets and meet client demands with confidence. You can stay ahead of changing market conditions and use that advantage to get ahead of any competition.

Long-Term Maintenance

You depend on your equipment to deliver results, and keeping maintenance and repairs in-house can be more cost effective. The right supplier will not only find equipment for you at a great price – they’ll help you maintain and repair it over time.

A contract for repairs and preventative maintenance can maximize your equipment’s uptime. It’s an easy way to increase your laboratory’s efficiency.

What to Consider When Outsourcing

As you can see, outsourcing comes with a wealth of benefits for any laboratory. But working with the wrong provider can introduce new problems. How can you make sure you find the right supplier for your needs?

Here are some important factors to consider as you outsource your laboratory supplies.

Experience

Whatever your laboratory does, you need a supply company that understands. Whether it’s manufacturing, testing, or research, the right supplier will know your industry inside-out.

That experience is key to providing you with the efficient service you need, from timely deliveries to high-quality equipment. Make sure you choose a supplier with proven success in your field.

Quality

Supplies are the lifeblood of a laboratory. Unfortunately, some suppliers will try to cut corners by using wide-specification replacement parts instead of the specific parts and supplies you need. While this can save money in the short term, it will create long-term problems for your lab.

Look for a service provider with a commitment to quality. It may cost a little more, but the results you can deliver will be worth it.

Reliability

Even in 2022, the pandemic continues to disrupt global supply chains. You need a supplier whose systems are resilient enough to handle upheaval.

You should look for a supplier with a proven track record of delivering on time. They should be able to get repair technicians out to you promptly if you need them, and they should be able to honor any commitments they make.

Cost

There are two major factors in determining the cost of lab services. One is the direct cost of laboratory supplies and maintenance. The other is the indirect costs incurred by equipment downtime, shipping delays, and other factors which can slow productivity in a lab.

Usually, spending more money up-front means savings in the long term. Higher quality equipment and more reliable maintenance services will offset the risks of downtime and delay.

But each laboratory has its own budget, and you need to find a supplier that will balance up-front costs with your long-term maintenance needs. 

Finding the Right Supplier

As you search for the right partner to outsource laboratory supplies, why not consider MarathonLS?

We offer an amazing range of quality laboratory products; all delivered to you via our stable, reliable supply chain. We also offer lab services, including repair and preventative maintenance, so you won’t be caught off-guard by unexpected downtime. All our plans have flexibility built-in, so you can tailor our services to your laboratory’s needs.

Most importantly, communication is at the heart of everything we do. You’ll always know what to expect from our services, and we’ll never leave you wondering where we are.