Coca-Cola Consolidated announced that Southeastern Container, a PET preform and bottle manufacturing co-operative funded and managed by a group of Coca-Cola bottlers, has begun producing test tubes for use in COVID-19 kits. Utilizing several injection molding preform tools, the manufacturing co-operative has already produced over 7 million tubes for testing kits.

The US Department of Health and Human Services collaborated with Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL) to identify manufacturers who could address a supply chain gap of COVID-19 test collection tubes to support the increasing testing needs of States.

“Through a personal connection and discussions with Coca-Cola Consolidated, we determined the preform that goes into a blow molding machine to make Coca-Cola bottles look exactly like the test tube needed for the COVID-19 testing kits” said Lonnie Love, lead scientist for ORNL’s COVID-19 advanced manufacturing initiatives.

Coca-Cola bottlers has begun producing test tubes for use in COVID-19 kits. (Photo: Oak Ridge National Laboratory)

At ORNL’s request, Coca-Cola Consolidated provided samples of their preforms and the laboratory worked with COVID-19 testing company Longhorn Vaccine-Diagnostics to confirm that the tubes met test kit criteria.

"In a few short days, Coke bottlers have fabricated a small, ruggedized vial from a plastic preform that does not leak, is large enough to hold any swab type, and importantly, they can make millions of tubes per week,” said Dr. Luke T. Daum, Chief Scientific Officer at Longhorn Vaccines.

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory worked with Coca-Cola Consolidated to determine whether soda bottle preforms, which are small plastic tubes heated and blown into a bottle shape to hold carbonated beverages, can be used as test tubes in COVID-19 kits.

These kits include a swab, saline solution and a plastic tube to enclose the swab during transport. Soda bottle preforms are the perfect size to hold the long COVID-19 swab. The soda bottle preforms also contain a screw-top cap that is tamper-proof and safely seals the tube, preventing leakage and exposure during transport.

“Through a series of personal connections, we discovered the opportunity to contribute to the effort to increase COVID-19 testing capacity quickly,” said Dave Katz, President & COO of Coca-Cola Consolidated, the largest Coca-Cola bottler in the U.S.

7 million tubes for testing kits have already been produced. (Photo: Oak Ridge National Laboratory)

Once the test tubes are produced, sterilization is usually required before they can be used in test kits. Sandia National Laboratories, a Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration lab with headquarters in Albuquerque, N.M., is using its Gamma Irradiation Facility and a team of radiation science experts to develop protocols for sterilizing the preforms without damaging the materials.

ORNL engaged a diagnostic company, Longhorn Vaccines-Diagnostics in San Antonio, Texas to confirm that the soda bottle preforms are compatible with their COVID-19 testing systems. Five testing companies that conduct COVID-19 tests within the US are currently in line to begin using the preforms. ORNL conducted additional testing on the tubes confirming that the preforms were leak proof and that bacteria growth could be prevented by heating to a high temperature or cleaning with an ethanol solution.

The preforms will be manufactured by Southeastern Container, and they can produce over 7 million test tubes per week, helping to reach US testing goals.

Coca-Cola Consolidated announced that Southeastern Container, a PET preform and bottle manufacturing co-operative funded and managed by a group of Coca-Cola bottlers, has begun producing test tubes for use in COVID-19 kits. Utilizing several injection molding preform tools, the manufacturing co-operative has already produced over 7 million tubes for testing kits.

The US Department of Health and Human Services collaborated with Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL) to identify manufacturers who could address a supply chain gap of COVID-19 test collection tubes to support the increasing testing needs of States.

“Through a personal connection and discussions with Coca-Cola Consolidated, we determined the preform that goes into a blow molding machine to make Coca-Cola bottles look exactly like the test tube needed for the COVID-19 testing kits” said Lonnie Love, lead scientist for ORNL’s COVID-19 advanced manufacturing initiatives.

Coca-Cola bottlers has begun producing test tubes for use in COVID-19 kits. (Photo: Oak Ridge National Laboratory)

At ORNL’s request, Coca-Cola Consolidated provided samples of their preforms and the laboratory worked with COVID-19 testing company Longhorn Vaccine-Diagnostics to confirm that the tubes met test kit criteria.

"In a few short days, Coke bottlers have fabricated a small, ruggedized vial from a plastic preform that does not leak, is large enough to hold any swab type, and importantly, they can make millions of tubes per week,” said Dr. Luke T. Daum, Chief Scientific Officer at Longhorn Vaccines.

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory worked with Coca-Cola Consolidated to determine whether soda bottle preforms, which are small plastic tubes heated and blown into a bottle shape to hold carbonated beverages, can be used as test tubes in COVID-19 kits.

These kits include a swab, saline solution and a plastic tube to enclose the swab during transport. Soda bottle preforms are the perfect size to hold the long COVID-19 swab. The soda bottle preforms also contain a screw-top cap that is tamper-proof and safely seals the tube, preventing leakage and exposure during transport.

“Through a series of personal connections, we discovered the opportunity to contribute to the effort to increase COVID-19 testing capacity quickly,” said Dave Katz, President & COO of Coca-Cola Consolidated, the largest Coca-Cola bottler in the U.S.

7 million tubes for testing kits have already been produced. (Photo: Oak Ridge National Laboratory)

Once the test tubes are produced, sterilization is usually required before they can be used in test kits. Sandia National Laboratories, a Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration lab with headquarters in Albuquerque, N.M., is using its Gamma Irradiation Facility and a team of radiation science experts to develop protocols for sterilizing the preforms without damaging the materials.

ORNL engaged a diagnostic company, Longhorn Vaccines-Diagnostics in San Antonio, Texas to confirm that the soda bottle preforms are compatible with their COVID-19 testing systems. Five testing companies that conduct COVID-19 tests within the US are currently in line to begin using the preforms. ORNL conducted additional testing on the tubes confirming that the preforms were leak proof and that bacteria growth could be prevented by heating to a high temperature or cleaning with an ethanol solution.

The preforms will be manufactured by Southeastern Container, and they can produce over 7 million test tubes per week, helping to reach US testing goals.