Potato chaos, spreadsheet nightmares & the fix

Do you love chips?

Here’s a fun fact: To make legendary chips, Zweifel processes 25,000 tons of potatoes every year. That’s enough chips to fill over 1,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools!

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At that scale… how many samples could disappear in the mountain of paperwork?

A. None

B. A few dozen

C. Dozens per month

D. It’s beyond counting 😅

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The reason for samples disappearing is quite obvious: many manufacturing companies still manage their quality control using a mix of paper records and Excel spreadsheets.

At first glance, it seems manageable. But this outdated approach often leads to:

❌ Lost samples

❌ Waste of time

❌ Frustrating audits

So, what can your lab do to take back control?

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✅ Standardize your lab processes

If everyone’s doing things their own way, your lab is likely disorganized. Documented, standardized procedures help eliminate confusion and maintain consistency.

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✅ Go digital

Replace those crumpled printouts with a robust LIMS. Real-time tracking, automated logs, and centralized data — it’s a win for both efficiency and traceability.

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✅ Label smarter

Ditch the handwritten notes. Barcodes and QR codes make tracking foolproof and fast. Plus, they integrate seamlessly with digital systems.

✅ Audit regularly (and proactively)

Don’t wait for a third-party audit to discover issues. Internal check-ins keep processes sharp and your team inspection-ready.

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✅ Automate where it counts

From report generation to sample status updates, automation can do the heavy lifting, reduce manual errors, and give your team time back for higher-value work.

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We’ve seen too many lab teams lose time, and yes, valuable samples, to paper logs and spreadsheets.

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That’s why we built 1LIMS: to help teams like yours move faster, stay compliant, and bring clarity to quality control.

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Request a demo →

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P.S. Want to dive deeper? Here are a few resources worth your time:

👉 Join a conversation with Philipp Osterwalder, CEO of 1LIMS, as we discuss the growing talent gap in quality control labs and what can be done about it.

👉 Learn how modern labs are taking full control of their samples with our guide to lab sample management.

👉 Understand different types of LIMS and how to make the right choice for your lab in our LIMS Buyer’s Guide.

Happy & safe lab work!

❤️ Greetings,

1LIMS Team