PulpFixin, the Dayton, Ohio-based manufacturer of pulp-based labware, and Azenta Life Sciences (Nasdaq: AZTA) have announced a collaboration aimed at helping pharmaceutical, biotech, and research laboratories reduce plastic waste in their sample management operations. The partnership, announced ahead of SLAS Europe 2026 in Vienna, where PulpFixin served as the official Sustainability Sponsor, combines PulpFixin's AutoRack platform with Azenta's FluidX tube workflow infrastructure.
The collaboration is available now. It is designed for laboratories already operating within the Azenta FluidX ecosystem, allowing organizations to adopt biodegradable rack infrastructure without modifying existing automation setups or revalidating sample management processes.
AutoRack: biodegradable and automation-ready
AutoRack is PulpFixin's flagship product line, consisting of 96-, 48-, and 24-position 2D barcoded tube racks engineered from paper pulp rather than conventional petroleum-based plastics. The racks are certified 100% biodegradable, recyclable, and compostable, and follow the ANSI/SLAS 1-2004 footprint standard, ensuring compatibility with automated liquid handling platforms, cappers, and decappers across high-throughput laboratory environments.
Key AutoRack features relevant to sample management teams include:
- 100% biodegradable, recyclable, and compostable construction, replacing conventional polypropylene and polycarbonate racks
- Pre-barcoded design with unique 2D codes on both sides of the rack for orientation and traceability
- ANSI/SLAS 1-2004 compliance for broad compatibility with automated liquid handling systems
- Secure lid with easy-grip base to prevent tube spillage during handling
- Cryogenic storage durability, with FutureFilm sealant to maintain barrier performance at low temperatures
- Available in 96-, 48-, and 24-tube formats to support a range of throughput requirements
The racks are engineered to slot directly into FluidX tube workflows from Azenta, which are widely deployed in pharma and biotech settings for compound library storage, biobanking, and cold-chain sample handling. Azenta already offers SBS racks produced with 90% recycled content; the PulpFixin collaboration extends that sustainable portfolio into fully biodegradable territory.
| Feature | AutoRack (PulpFixin) | Conventional polypropylene rack |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Paper pulp with FutureFilm sealant | Polypropylene or polycarbonate |
| End-of-life | Biodegradable, recyclable, compostable | Landfill or incineration (regulated waste stream) |
| ANSI/SLAS compatibility | Yes (1-2004) | Yes |
| 2D barcode | Pre-barcoded, dual-sided | Typically pre-barcoded |
| Cryogenic use | Yes | Yes |
| Automation-ready | Yes | Yes |
Why sustainable sample storage is gaining momentum in pharma and biotech labs
The scale of laboratory plastic waste has driven increasing urgency across the industry. Scientific and biomedical labs collectively generate an estimated 5.5 million tonnes of plastic waste per year globally, a figure that has made single-use consumables a recurring focus of corporate sustainability programs and ESG reporting cycles. For lab managers at pharmaceutical and biotech organizations, the pressure now runs in multiple directions: internal ESG targets, investor expectations, and, in some regions, evolving regulatory frameworks on plastic disposal and reporting.
As Lab Manager has documented, major life sciences companies are now beginning to carbon-footprint entire product portfolios, and laboratory operations are increasingly expected to contribute scope 3 emissions data. Consumables are a natural starting point for reduction efforts because they are high-volume, high-frequency, and largely fungible, meaning a compatible sustainable alternative can substitute in without disrupting scientific workflows.
The challenge has always been finding sustainable options that don't compromise performance, traceability, or cold-chain integrity. The historic trade-off between sustainability and operational robustness is precisely what this collaboration is designed to address. PulpFixin's earlier work with the University of Dayton Research Institute to validate the performance and material properties of its pulp-based products against ANSI testing methods is part of the evidence base the company is building to support broader adoption.
PulpFixin was founded in 2024 by industry veterans from biotech and pharmaceutical supply. Chad Jenkins, who joined as Chief Commercial Officer before being elevated to CEO, brings over 30 years of life sciences sector experience. The company's AutoRack won the New Product of the Year Award at SLAS Europe 2025 in Hamburg, a recognition judged on technical merit, proof of concept, and market impact in high-throughput laboratory settings.
What this means for labs evaluating sustainable consumables
For lab managers responsible for sample management operations, this collaboration matters most in one specific context: if your lab runs FluidX tubes through automated workflows, AutoRack is now a documented drop-in option for the rack component of that system. Compatibility with FluidX means no need to revalidate automation runs or reconfigure liquid handling protocols, which has historically been the friction point that slows sustainable consumable adoption.
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The hidden cost argument is worth considering. Beyond the materials cost of the racks themselves, plastic lab waste in regulated environments carries downstream costs: special disposal logistics, recycling program overhead, sustainability reporting time, and, in some contexts, incineration fees for biohazardous waste. Moving to a biodegradable rack reduces the volume of material entering those waste streams. As experts at Lab Manager have noted, developing a robust sustainability strategy typically involves identifying high-volume, low-disruption substitutions, making tube racks a practical entry point for labs still early in their sustainability journey.
"Azenta has consistently demonstrated leadership in helping laboratories modernize operations while addressing evolving customer expectations around sustainability," said Chad Jenkins, CEO of PulpFixin. "This collaboration represents a shared commitment to delivering solutions that support laboratory performance, automation compatibility and environmental responsibility without increasing operational burden or cost."
Michael Bussmann, Vice President and General Manager of Consumables and Instruments at Azenta Life Sciences, framed the announcement within the company's broader portfolio direction: "At Azenta, we're committed to advancing more environmentally responsible laboratory workflows and supporting customers as they work toward their sustainability goals. We've already taken steps in this direction, including offering SBS racks made with 90% recycled content, and we continue to look for ways to expand lower-impact options across our portfolio. By combining PulpFixin's biodegradable rack platform with established FluidX sample management workflows, we're enabling laboratories to reduce reliance on conventional plastic lab consumables, while maintaining compatibility with automation systems, sample integrity, cold-chain performance and operational scalability."
Interested in lab design?
Azenta is an established player in global sample management, with operations across North America, Europe, and Asia. Its brand portfolio spans FluidX tubes and scanners, Ziath scanning hardware, 4titude plates and consumables, Limfinity LIMS, FreezerPro inventory software, and GENEWIZ genomics services. In March 2026, the company acquired UK Biocentre Limited to expand its biorepository presence in Europe. The Consumables and Instruments division, which includes the FluidX product line, sits within Azenta's Sample Management Solutions segment, which reported $81 million in revenue in the most recent fiscal quarter.
Both companies exhibited at SLAS Europe 2026 in Vienna (May 19-21), where the combined solution was on display. Lab managers with sample management operations tied to FluidX workflows, or those exploring sustainable rack alternatives compatible with standard automation, can contact PulpFixin at kip.matthews@pulpfixin.us or visit pulpfixin.us for product specifications and availability. Azenta's full sample management portfolio, including FluidX consumables, is available at azenta.com.
Lab managers looking to situate this announcement within broader sustainable consumable strategies can refer to Lab Manager's overview of sustainable plastics use in the laboratory for context across consumable categories.
References
- O Loughlin, J., Herward, B., Doherty, D., et al. (2024). "Bio-based polylactic acid labware as a sustainable alternative for microbial cultivation in life science laboratories." Heliyon, 10(21), e39846. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e39846
- Roots Analysis. (2025). Renewable/Sustainable Laboratory Plasticware Market: Size, Share & Growth Report [2035]. https://www.rootsanalysis.com/reports/sustainable-laboratory-plasticware-market.html
- Precedence Research. (2026). Sustainable Laboratory Plasticware Market Size to Hit USD 4,728.00 Million by 2035. https://www.precedenceresearch.com/sustainable-laboratory-plasticware-market
