August 23 – BioFlyte, an Albuquerque-based company that monitors chemicals and bioaerosols, is shipping its technology by mail.
This month, the Albuquerque-based company announced a partnership with SoBran, a company that protects its customers from mail-borne threats. Some of its customers include high-profile government clients the National Institutes of Health and Department of Homeland Security, Fortune 500 companies and other classified customers.
BioFlyte is a four-year-old company that uses mass spectrometry to detect threats from anthrax and fentanyl to the virus that will cause the next pandemic.
BioFlyte CEO Todd Sickles said the company is looking to address different types of threats. For example, he said there are known threats, such as when a terrorist wants to send a chemical agent to a victim through the mail.
But there are also emerging threats, which are threats that are not known or understood, he said.
“Many cases are not harmful, but this could be the next virus that causes a global pandemic,” he said.
The collaboration with SoBran will take place using BioFlyte’s BioTOF z200 monitoring sensor.
Working to detect potential threats in the mail creates an additional challenge, Sickles said. It’s not a complicated challenge: If the threat is in an envelope or box, it’s harder to determine what it is, he said.
“I am excited to incorporate this new technology into our screening process. It is imperative that we continually evaluate our processes and equipment to ensure we are screening for all known and emerging threats,” said Adam Oliver, SoBran’s chief operating officer. “Keeping our customers safe is our priority.”
Sickles said the collaboration with SoBran is the latest milestone for BioFlyte, which he expects to experience significant growth in the coming years.
The company is looking to scale up production and expand its workforce. Sickles said it currently has about 20 employees and plans to grow that by 50 percent a year over the next few years. That will be done by adding sales and customer service. He said the company is also looking to expand its presence in the Washington, D.C., area.
Some of the potential customers the company is looking to add to its client list are airports and prisons. Airports can be targets for potential contamination, and prisons need to screen their mail more.
“Our technology delivers proven value through enhanced detection of life-threatening chemical and biological agents, all in one device,” said Sickles. “We are excited to provide SoBran with a more comprehensive and powerful screening solution to protect their customer base and reduce operational costs.”
“Our companies are eager to work together to further improve our technology based on changing market requirements, so we can protect ourselves against the evolving threats in the email screening space.”
