Cannabis has always been a very special subsector of the horti industry, so it's not surprising that many horti experts have made their way into cannabis. At the same time, there's much more to it than just flashy equipment and the latest automated postharvest solution. Horticulture, and cannabis especially, always borrow from other industries, and overlaps are everywhere. "Paralab has spent the last 30 years providing laboratory equipment and instrumentation to industries like pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and advanced materials. Embracing the cannabis sector was a natural evolution," says Rebecca Allen Tapp, Product Manager at Paralab Green. Paralab Green is the newest division of Paralab and was developed in response to the growing demand for equipment and technology optimized for the medical cannabis industry.
"When cannabis started borrowing equipment from those sectors, we didn't need a crash course," says adds. The company is based in Portugal, which doesn't hurt either – being physically close to Europe's unofficial cannabis cultivation hub means they can easily be on-site visiting customer facilities, walking growers through their options, and explaining how to automate or scale up their process to improve quality and productivity.
In the early stages of the European cannabis market, compliance requirements often caused confusion, particularly among North American equipment manufacturers who were unfamiliar with the region's regulatory standards. "There was an epidemic of misinformation," she points out. "Manufacturers and cultivators wanted to meet EU GMP standards but didn't know what that actually entailed." This is where Paralab Green was conceived, built on existing expertise in both the equipment required for cannabis production processes and the relevant compliance standards. This foundation enabled the company to form strategic partnerships with select manufacturers.
Paralab Green doesn't try to do it all. Instead, it has built a network of regulatory consultants and service providers it can refer clients to, whether it's for GMP implementation, compliance documentation, or figuring out how to scale a facility or expand a product offering without sacrificing quality or putting unnecessary strain on internal resources. "Our goal is to make sure our clients have the information they need to make informed decisions," Allen-Tapp says. "We educate because it's needed, not because it's a sales pitch."
One area where the misinformation runs particularly deep is decontamination, specifically with regards to irradiation. "There is a stigma around this, consumers assume that if a product is marketed as non-irradiated, it's higher quality and hasn't undergone decontamination. While it's important to mitigate risk during cultivation, decontamination is a critical step to protect the consumer, often prescribed patients in this case, and if you're not irradiating, you'd better have a solid alternative," she says. Paralab Green is the European partner of VIST, via a North American manufacturer that developed CryoPasteurization technology for gentle yet effective decontamination.
Paralab Green's portfolio is curated with compliance in mind. When onboarding a new product, they will rigorously inspect the solution to ensure it meets the compliance criteria of its European customers, including EU GMP and CE requirements. The team also works closely with its manufacturing partners, who may not be fully familiar with the regulatory standards specific to medical cannabis production and processing in Europe.
Paralab Green takes a systems thinking approach to cannabis infrastructure. Because the company offers solutions across nearly every stage of production, from reducing bioburden in cultivation and trimming rooms to trimming, drying, curing, extraction, and final packaging, it can offer valuable insight into how each step connects to the next. "If someone comes to us with and they want to extract and formulate, we're not starting from scratch. We understand the full flow and how upstream decisions impact downstream outcomes," says Allen-Tapp.
As the industry evolves, so do the technologies involved. Post harvest, automation is slowly creeping in. Machine trimming, conveyor systems, cartridge filling, many operations that began as manual processes are now scaling into more industrial territory. Customers are increasingly moving away from manual methods and embracing automation to keep pace with growing industry demand and scale efficiently. "At scale, machine trimming is starting to compete with hand quality," she says. "And versatility is key. The same filling system might be used for both tincture bottles and vape cartridges, with just a few modifications."
Rebecca and Paralab Green take a practical approach to future opportunities. They are keenly watching emerging markets that may require more initial support, ensuring they can offer a one-stop shop solution. By providing access to a network of ancillary services, they help clients gain a competitive edge. Unlike many companies that use community as a buzzword, Paralab Green is committed to nurturing the ecosystem. "We actively refer business within our network. If we can't assist directly, we know someone who can. That's how the industry grows stronger."
For more information:
Rebecca Allen Tapp 
Product Manager
Paralab Green
+351 923 083 064
www.paralab-green.com