FREDERICTON, NB, June 16, 2021 – LuminUltra has been named “2021 Company of the Year” by Water Canada’s Water’s Next awards program, which recognizes individuals, projects, and technologies that have made significant contributions to the water industry in Canada and beyond. LuminUltra is proud to be recognized by Water Canada for our most recent innovations in world-class environmental testing for COVID-19, building on our decades-long position as leaders in the global water industry.
Along with being named “Company of the Year,” LuminUltra is also the recipient of the Water’s Next award for “Projects and Technology: Wastewater” for the creation of the world’s first complete, rapid and on-site wastewater PCR testing solution. This proactive pandemic management tool, which was created to accurately alert municipalities and businesses of COVID-19 presence in wastewater, was developed in partnership with Dalhousie University and Halifax Water.
Wastewater testing for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is a non-invasive testing method that has proven to be a highly effective early warning system during the pandemic. Regular wastewater testing alerts communities to increases in COVID-19 case loads as much as seven days ahead of a positive clinical test result. LuminUltra’s patent-pending wastewater testing solution has simplified wastewater monitoring, enabling significantly faster testing that can be done on-site, thus reducing the turnaround time for results. Communities of all sizes around the world can now use wastewater testing to proactively monitor for COVID-19 and other pathogens.
“For over two decades our passion has been helping companies and municipalities detect and monitor for microorganisms in water. When the prime minister of Canada asked businesses in Canada for help in the fight against COVID-19 in early 2020, we responded immediately. We challenged the status quo in the testing space to keep communities around the world safe. Our team will remember 2020 as a time of innovation and resilience,” said LuminUltra Chairman and CEO Pat Whalen. “It is an honour to once again be recognized by Water Canada, and LuminUltra is very proud to continue to be part of innovations and excellence in Canada’s water community.”
Over the last 16 months LuminUltra has grown significantly, doubling its workforce and opening a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in New Brunswick. Whalen adds: “Our partnership with XPV Water Partners has been instrumental in driving our growth over the last number of years, and especially this past year. As a result, we are well-positioned to continue the fight against COVID-19 in Canada and around the world, and will be a leader in the event of future epidemics, pandemics, and microbiological challenges.”
LuminUltra COVID-19 Testing Solutions
LuminUltra’s industry gold-standard GeneCount® qPCR devices — both the portable and high-capacity options — are compatible with both the clinical and environment tests. This means that clinical and environmental testing samples can be analyzed at the same time, allowing for efficient and highly effective diagnostic and surveillance testing. Research and development completed for all LuminUltra’s testing solutions benefit each of the testing protocols, ensuring consistent, reliable and market-ready innovation.
About LuminUltra
Founded in 1995, LuminUltra is a biological diagnostic testing company headquartered in Canada with operations in six countries. It is widely recognized globally as a leader in developing tests and reagents for environmental, industrial, and diagnostic monitoring and is a key supplier of COVID-19 clinical testing reagents to the Government of Canada. Customers in over 80 countries trust LuminUltra’s technology, production reliability and history of customer service excellence to deliver their essential services in a safe-state. At the same time, LuminUltra fosters a culture of innovation and agility and is on an accelerated growth path, acquiring multiple companies in recent years after forming a partnership with XPV Water Partners. Additional information can be found at luminultra.com.
