Why do general industrial cryogenic suppliers often fall short of IVF laboratory requirements and what should fertility clinics look for instead?
The cryogenic industry broadly serves two very different customer groups: industrial gas users including food processing, metal fabrication, and chemical manufacturing, and biological or medical users including IVF clinics, biobanks, NHS fertility units, and research institutions. The equipment looks similar from the outside but the specification requirements diverge significantly. Industrial cryogenic vessels are engineered for throughput and durability under frequent handling. Biological storage vessels for IVF applications are specified for temperature stability, low evaporation rate, compatibility with sample organisation systems, and traceability documentation that supports HFEA compliance.
A general industrial cryogenic supplier may not hold ISO 9001:2015 quality management certification, may not carry UKCA and CE marked biological storage vessels, and is unlikely to have in-house knowledge of IVF protocols, HFEA inspection requirements, or the organisational systems needed inside a dewar to safely manage a clinical sample inventory. The consequence of specifying an industrial vessel for clinical biological storage is not always immediately visible but becomes apparent during an HFEA inspection or when a vessel fails and the supplier cannot provide the documentation required for an insurance or incident report. Cryolab operates exclusively in the biological and medical cryogenic sector and has done so for over 40 years. Every vessel in the Cryolab storage range is UKCA and CE marked, ISO 9001:2015 certified, and supplied with documentation appropriate for HFEA-licensed facilities. Contact Cryolab to discuss the specific requirements of your facility.
