Central Indiana company playing key role in vaccine rollout

A Noblesville company has seen a big increase in demand for their medical-grade refrigerators and freezers.

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NOBLESVILLE, Ind. — One of the challenges facing medical facilities preparing to receive vaccines for COVID-19 is figuring out how to store the doses. 

Each of the leading vaccine candidates require that doses are stored at a very low temperature. Pfizer’s version must be kept at -70 degrees Celsius. 

That has led to quite a demand for a central Indiana business. For 43 years, Helmer Scientific has made medical-grade refrigerators and freezers. 

“We’ve been in this constant supporting mode since the whole pandemic started in March,” said Lori Gabrek, VP of sales for Helmer. “We are getting phone calls worldwide. We’re doing business in Italy and I had a call this morning with the UK.”

The company says hospitals, pharmacies and even local governments are reaching out, trying to get prepared.

“You will find our equipment at almost every hospital in the U.S.,” said CEO Bruce King. “Each one of these units that I am pointing to is literally going to help someone save a life. And we talk about it all the time.”

It is clearly good for business and they need more workers to keep up. They expect extremely high demand well into next year.

Helmer Scientific employs about 400 people. They are hoping to add another 40 in the next month. Job information can be found here.