GC Green Cross Medical Foundation Introduces Asia's Largest Total Laboratory Automation System

Full Automation from Analysis to Storage
Capable of Storing Up to 610,000 Specimens

GC Green Cross Medical Foundation announced on July 3 that it held an inauguration ceremony for the Total Laboratory Automation (TLA) system at its diagnostic testing center located in Yongin on July 1.

Hee Seop Hur, Chairman of GC (Green Cross Holdings) (fifth from the left), Gian Andrea Pedrazzini, Chairman of Inpeco (sixth from the left), Kit Tang, CEO of Roche Korea (third from the right), and Sang Gon Lee, CEO of GC Green Cross Medical Foundation (second from the right) are cutting the ribbon at the opening ceremony. Photo by GC Green Cross Medical Foundation

The newly introduced TLA system fully automates the entire process from specimen sorting and analysis to storage. It is the world’s first vertically integrated facility spanning two floors, connecting and integrating equipment on different levels via a bridge, which enables efficient data storage and the complete automation of specimen testing. The system implements a smart laboratory infrastructure that allows specimens to be automatically transported from the basement to the ground-floor laboratory at the push of a button.

This system has been named the "Labinno Track," a combination of "Lab" and "Innovation," signifying "Innovation in the Laboratory." The Labinno Track can process the highest number of specimens per hour in the Asia-Pacific region, and in terms of total track length and the scale of connected analytical equipment, it is considered one of the top 10 tracks worldwide.

Additionally, the automated system features Asia’s first customized High Volume Storage (HVS) for specimens. The customized HVS, established on the first basement level, can store up to 610,000 specimens.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by key representatives and employees from major partner companies, including Hee Seop Hur, Chairman of GC (Green Cross Holdings), Gian Andrea Pedrazzini, Chairman of Inpeco, Kit Tang, CEO of Roche Korea, and Hong Yeon Yang, Managing Director of Abbott Korea. Attendees also had the opportunity to tour the Labinno Track facility.

The event began with a progress report on the TLA equipment by medical specialist Sun Hyun Ahn, followed by a welcome speech from CEO Sang Gon Lee, and congratulatory remarks from Chairman Gian Andrea Pedrazzini and CEO Kit Tang.

Sang Gon Lee, CEO of GC Green Cross Medical Foundation, stated, "The Labinno Track, an innovation in laboratory testing, was made possible by the integration of technologies from seven companies, including our foundation and global corporations such as Inpeco, Roche, and Abbott. We will continue our efforts to establish efficient and innovative specimen diagnostic systems in the future."

Meanwhile, GC Green Cross Medical Foundation, established in 1982, is the first and largest specialized referral laboratory in South Korea. Based on over 40 years of accumulated know-how and expertise in testing, the foundation provides top-tier diagnostic laboratory and pathological testing services, advancing beyond the domestic market to become an internationally recognized testing institution.