Lab budgets tend to be tight – you need to make each and every grant dollar count. Add to that the lean times ahead, and lab managers have a heroic task ahead of them.
Don’t worry – no matter what your funding looks like, there are plenty of ways to save without having to sacrifice the quality of your work. Here are 3 easy ways to help you keep costs low while still delivering your best.
Order supplies in bulk
This one seems obvious, but worth repeating. You may be buying more of a particular item recently, or you’re in the habit of paying one price for bulk items because “that’s the way it’s always been.” Take a look at both your most expensive purchases and day-to-day, low-budget items and challenge yourself to find alternatives. Find a vendor whose quality you can trust (make sure to opt for a smaller trial run!) and try to consolidate as many orders as you can through them. The added bonus: reduce the number of deliveries and packaging going into the environment.
Nonperishable items are the easiest to tackle, but those with expiration dates will require a little more processing and research. A robust inventory tracker will help surface the ins and outs of items that you can start to put smarter cyclical buying patterns towards.
Score secondhand lab equipment
Lab equipment is one of the most essential line items in your lab.. and most expensive. You can save on equipment in a big way by opting for used devices.
It’s a myth that all used equipment won’t last as long or have the features you need as oftentimes, the updated feature differences are minimal. Checkout Lab Compare to see product reviews before you head to sites like USA Lab, LabX, Marshall scientific, and ALT (American Laboratory Trading) to purchase your discounted machinery.
Once you scrutinize the feature set you need and do a side by side comparison on cost, you may find this is one of your best cost-saving solutions.
Keep inventory storage organized
Time is money, and if your team isn’t able to find what they’re looking for easily, those moments add up. Track time spent managing and sifting through storage for a week and see if you notice any trends. How much time do you spend trying to find chemicals or equipment? How long does it take to travel from space to space to grab regularly used items? These questions may spark ideas of how to reconfigure storage space to allow for least effort and time spent.
Make sure to clearly label all chemicals, bio samples, equipment and safety devices alongside a detailed tracking log. This will help to avoid wasting materials should your storage habits change. Upgrade from manual processing or logging wherever possible – a good barcode-enabled system saves time (and your critical materials!) by making tagging and logging seamless amid changes in staff.
Vertere Chemical Inventory
For over 30 years, Vertére has been honored to serve the laboratory and scientific community with best in class, barcode-enabled inventory tracking systems. Whether you manage chemicals, biologicals, equipment, or stockroom supplies, VIM modules are equipped to address all challenges of inventory management in an environment of constant change.
Learn more about Vertere’s VIM system here.