ALCOR Scientific's iSED® analyzers reshape lab logistics and improve patient care for one of medicine's most widely used tests
- Seven times longer stability, independently validated. ESR samples on ALCOR Scientific's iSED analyzer remained accurate for up to 28 hours at room temperature and 48 hours refrigerated, outperforming the four-hour limit of traditional Westergren testing.
- A breakthrough for modern lab logistics. The extended sample stability delivers workflow and cost savings for clinical labs navigating scattered blood collection sites, longer courier routes and staffing shortages.
- Improved patient care. With more than a full day of room-temperature stability, delayed and after-hours samples can be tested with confidence, reducing rejections and blood redraws while improving results and the patient experience.
SMITHFIELD, R.I., Sept. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- For a hundred years, one number has quietly governed erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), a test doctors rely on to diagnose and monitor infections, autoimmune conditions and other diseases: four. As in four hours, the narrow window in which a traditional ESR sample had to be tested or refrigerated before its result could no longer be trusted. A new peer-reviewed study published in Diagnostics says that deadline belongs to the past.
The study found that ESR samples measured by photometric rheology on ALCOR Scientific's iSED® analyzers remained accurate for up to 28 hours at room temperature and 48 hours refrigerated, seven times longer than the traditional Westergren method's four-hour room-temperature limit.
The impact is significant. One of the most widely used tests in medicine is no longer bound by a four-hour deadline. As clinical labs contend with scattered blood collection sites, longer courier routes and staffing shortages, the extended sample stability delivers immediate benefits to labs and the patients they serve.
The full study "Measuring Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Using Photometric Rheology Technology Demonstrates Superior Sample Stability as Compared to the Westergren Method," is available at https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/16/16/2648.
The problem hiding in the back of a courier van
ESR is one of the oldest tests in medicine, and one of the most widely ordered, with millions performed every year. It's a fast and affordable marker of inflammation that helps detect and monitor a range of conditions, from infections and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis to inflammatory conditions like giant cell arteritis, as well as certain cancers. Unlike tests that measure a specific molecule, ESR measures a behavior: how quickly red blood cells aggregate and settle in a tube, which makes it acutely vulnerable to time and temperature.
That vulnerability collides head-on with how modern labs operate. At the same time, labs are consolidating into centralized, high-volume centers, they're navigating growing blood collection sites and staffing shortages. Between the needle and the analyzer sits a courier network that batches specimens onto multi-stop routes, often carrying them for hours in vehicles with no meaningful temperature control. Meeting a strict four-hour clock across that chain is often impossible. Worse, the failure is invisible because a degraded sample doesn't arrive flagged. It arrives looking perfectly normal, and its result gets reported and acted on like any other.
Beyond gravity: a new way to measure inflammation
The iSED analyzer takes a fundamentally different approach to ESR testing. Using photometric rheology technology, it optically captures red blood cell aggregation, the earliest and most critical step of erythrocyte sedimentation, inside a temperature-controlled flow cell, generating a result in less than 20 seconds. Because it reads the very beginning of the aggregation process in a controlled environment, the iSED analyzer is largely insulated from the time-sensitive changes that undermine traditional readings, extending sample stability seven times longer than traditional testing.
From four hours to 28: a breakthrough for labs
Extending sample stability from four hours to 28 in ESR is a breakthrough for laboratory logistics, offering labs and the patients they serve immediate, tangible benefits, including:
- Reliable results: greater confidence in every result, especially when samples travel long distances or are delayed.
- Fewer rejected samples: specimens delayed in transit or received during minimal-staffing hours can still be tested with confidence.
- Fewer needle sticks for patients: sparing patients the burden of repeat phlebotomy for a common blood test.
- One tube, two tests: with longer stability, the same EDTA tube can realistically serve both ESR and CBC testing, and add-on ESR requests become feasible.
- Workflow and cost savings: a meaningful advantage as clinical laboratories navigate deepening workforce shortages.
"For decades, labs have been forced to build their entire ESR workflow around limited sample stability. Extending room temperature stability by an additional 24 hours is a game changer, not only improving logistics but truly improving patient care by ensuring reliable results. Giving labs a full day of reliable stability isn't a convenience. It's better medicine," said Jim Post, CEO, Alcor Scientific.
About the study
The study, "Measuring Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Using Photometric Rheology Technology Demonstrates Superior Sample Stability as Compared to the Westergren Method," was published in Diagnostics (2026;16(16):2648) by Koshy, Lamazares, Evans, and Jortani. The research was conducted under Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval at two hospital sites and funded by ALCOR Scientific.
About ALCOR Scientific
ALCOR Scientific develops diagnostic technologies that optimize laboratory efficiency. Founded in 2011, the company leverages its deep understanding of bioscience and state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques to design transformational solutions that help health care providers save time and improve patient care. ALCOR Scientific is one of the only providers to offer a fully automated solution for Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) testing for all laboratory throughputs and workflows. For more information, visit alcorscientific.com.
Media Contact
Megan McCutcheon, ALCOR Scientific
Email: mmccutcheon@alcorscientific.com
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
New Peer-Reviewed Study Confirms Innovative Technology Shatters ESR's Four-Hour Deadline
The planned 30,000+ sq. m. base will expand DG Display Showcase's manufacturing, engineering, R&D and global project delivery capabilities for larger and more complex retail space projects.
GUANGZHOU, China, Sept. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- DG Display Showcase, a customized display and retail space solution provider, is developing a new production base to support the next stage of its global business. With a planned gross floor area of more than 30,000 square meters, the base will bring manufacturing, R&D, engineering and customer experience functions into one integrated facility. The new base is designed to support larger flagship stores, multi-store rollouts and more complex retail environments for international brands.
Founded in 1999, DG Display Showcase has 27 years of experience in custom display and retail space solutions. The company has completed more than 9,380 brand store projects worldwide and handles more than 200 customized projects each year. Its team includes more than 180 engineering and craftsmanship professionals.
Projects Are Getting More Complex
DG Display Showcase serves projects across jewelry, watches, fragrance, luxury retail and museum display. As projects become larger and more customized, their requirements increasingly extend across engineering interfaces, brand standards, local installation conditions and tight opening schedules. Different materials, display systems, lighting, electrical and security features may also need to work together within the same project.
For international brands, project delivery also requires consistent execution across locations, close coordination between design and engineering, reliable production schedules, international logistics and installation support. These requirements can involve multiple teams and project stages, increasing the need for close coordination throughout the project lifecycle.
These requirements are shaping DG Display Showcase's plans for the new production base. The facility is being developed to connect design, engineering, manufacturing, verification and project delivery more closely, creating a more coordinated workflow for complex international retail projects.
One Base, More Capabilities
The new production base will include a Smart Manufacturing Center, an R&D and Design Center, a Global Display Experience Center and business and customer experience areas.
These functions are designed to work together across the project lifecycle. R&D and design teams can work closely with engineering teams on materials, structures, lighting and display solutions. Manufacturing teams can then work from the same project requirements, while verification and customer collaboration remain connected to the development process.
The Global Display Experience Center will also provide a space for customers to review materials, engineering solutions and finished display systems, and to discuss project requirements with DG teams.
The value of the new base comes from connecting design, engineering, manufacturing, verification and customer collaboration more closely. This structure is intended to create a more connected workflow from early design discussions through production and project delivery.
Design Must Work in Production
Complex retail design requires more than a strong visual concept. The design must also work through production, transportation and installation.
DG Display Showcase plans to strengthen its engineering work around complex metal structures, curved components, bent glass, precision assembly, integrated lighting and intelligent security systems.
The R&D and Design Center will help teams review structural feasibility, materials, hardware, lighting and installation requirements before production begins. This process can help turn design concepts into solutions that can be manufactured, transported and installed across different markets.
Quality Starts Before Shipment
International installation can create risks for large luxury retail projects. Site schedules can be tight. Multiple teams may work on the same project. Small issues can affect installation time and project progress.
DG Display Showcase plans to increase factory pre-assembly and verification as part of the new base's project workflow.
Teams can check structural connections, showcase joints, doors, lighting, hardware, electrical interfaces and installation points before shipment. Early checks can help identify issues while products are still at the factory.
For customers, this can mean fewer surprises at the installation site and more consistent results across multiple locations.
Building for Global Delivery
The new base also supports DG Display Showcase's wider move toward intelligent manufacturing and integrated project management. The company's 2026 development direction includes self-built facilities, intelligent manufacturing, AI-powered full-chain processes and digital twin models.
These initiatives are designed to improve coordination across the project lifecycle. The goal is to connect brand requirements, design, engineering, production, quality control and global delivery more closely.
For luxury brands, this creates a stronger foundation for flagship stores, chain-store projects, multi-brand spaces and museum display projects across different markets.
"Over the years, we have seen our customers' projects become larger, more customized and more international. These projects have raised the requirements for every stage of delivery, from design and engineering to manufacturing and installation. The new production base is our investment in the capabilities needed for this next stage. We are building the foundation to manage complex projects, maintain consistent quality and support customers across different markets," said Selina, Founder of DG Display Showcase.
Supporting the Next Stage
For DG Display Showcase, the new base represents a long-term investment in the engineering, manufacturing and delivery capabilities required for increasingly complex international retail projects.
About DG Display Showcase
Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Guangzhou, China, DG Display Showcase develops customized display and retail space solutions for jewelry, watches, fragrance, museums and luxury retail environments. With more than 27 years of industry experience and more than 9,380 completed brand store projects worldwide, the company provides services spanning design, engineering, manufacturing, logistics, installation support and after-sales service. DG Display Showcase works with international clients on customized display systems and one-stop retail solutions developed around individual brand and project requirements.
Media Contact:
Official website: https://www.degreefurniture.com/
Company Name: DG Master of Display Showcase Co.,Ltd
Email: sales@degreefurniture.com
WhatsApp: +86 13922429233
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
DG Display Showcase Expands Global Project Capabilities with New Production Base
