European medical firm enters U.S. via Noblesville

A European medical refrigeration and transportation company made its U.S. debut Tuesday by opening a 10,000-square-foot warehouse and sales office in Noblesville.

Luxembourg-based B Medical Systems is investing more than $1 million in its facilities at 14560 Bergen Blvd. this year and creating 15 to 20 new jobs there by 2021. The company provides cold storage and transportation products and services in 130 countries for temperature-sensitive materials like blood samples, biological materials and vaccines. Matt Tallman, the company’s head of sales for North America, said B Medical Systems provides blood banks, hospitals, research institutes and life sciences companies an unbroken chain of temperature regulation, from manufacturer to final destination.

“You see things today where patients are vaccinated for the flu, and yet they still somehow get the flu. In some cases, it could be that the vaccine was not properly stored in the transport or storage phase,” Tallman said. “We maintain the temperature range that makes sure the vaccines are safe and work like they’re supposed to.”

B Medical Systems operates its own 161,000-square-foot production facility in Luxembourg and contracts with logistics providers in other countries to distribute its line of refrigerators, freezers, transport devices and monitoring systems.

Matin Khajooei, the company’s chief sales and marketing officer, said B Medical Systems deviated from the norm in the U.S. by leasing and operating its own facility and establishing a centralized sales base in Noblesville.

According to Grand View Research, North America dominated the global commercial refrigeration equipment market with a 32.3% share in 2019. Tallman said that market share, combined with the fact that two of the top prospects in the race for a COVID-19 vaccine—Moderna and Pfizer—are based in the United States, made for a particularly attractive market.

More specifically, Tallman said the greater Indianapolis region is also close enough to the country’s population center that the company can reduce its lead times to both the East and West coasts. According to Khajooei, the Noblesville facility will allow B Medical Systems to deliver most customers’ products within three days.

It also provides for a closer connection to major life sciences companies.

“When you look at Indianapolis, there’s also obviously a huge presence with Lily and Roche,” Tallman said. “That made it even more attractive, as well.”

It’s not clear yet what the transportation requirements may be for a COVID-19 vaccine, but Tallman said the company’s range of refrigerated containers and freezers can store items at temperatures as low as -80° Celsius (-112° Fahrenheit).

“It’s really our core competency,” Tallman said.