manufactured · input
Porous cellulose nitrate membrane with controlled pore size (5–20 µm) and capillary flow rate, the primary solid-phase support for lateral flow immunoassays. Test-line and control-line antibodies are immobilized on it. High lot-to-lot consistency is critical; switching suppliers requires full clinical re-validation (12–18 months). The global LFA membrane market is ~98% nitrocellulose.
5
Source countries
5
Companies
1
Goods affected
0
Claims on record
What depends on it
1 essential American goods rely on nitrocellulose (nc) membrane for lateral flow somewhere upstream in their supply chain.
Where it comes from
Share of global supply, by country.
| Country | Share of supply |
|---|---|
| DEGermany | 30% |
| IEIreland | 25% |
| INIndia | 15% |
| USUnited States | 15% |
| CNChina | 10% |
Who makes it
5 companies produce nitrocellulose (nc) membrane for lateral flow.
Washington DC-based conglomerate that owns Cytiva (Whatman brand — nitrocellulose membranes, glass fiber pads), IDT (oligonucleotide probes), and Pall Corporation (filtration). Controls an extraordinary concentration of IVD supply chain chokepoints through acquisitions across multiple independent critical nodes.
German life sciences company that manufactured the world's first industrial nitrocellulose membrane in 1960 in Göttingen. Its Unisart® CN series is one of the two dominant global LFA membrane brands. Key OEM supplier to virtually every major rapid test manufacturer.
German multinational producing the Hi-Flow Plus nitrocellulose membrane — one of the two industry-standard LFA membranes globally. Received a €121M US DoD/HHS contract to build the first US lateral flow membrane facility in Sheboygan, WI (2022) to reduce concentration risk in Cork, Ireland.
Life sciences tools and services business of Danaher Corporation (NYSE: DHR); formed from the 2019 GE Healthcare Life Sciences acquisition; produces Vivid® lateral flow nitrocellulose membranes (formerly Whatman/GE brand); market leader in lateral flow assay membranes for diagnostics; also owns the Pall filtration business; Cytiva Vivid membranes are the reference standard used in most FDA-cleared lateral flow diagnostic assays including COVID-19, pregnancy tests, and flu diagnostics; Marlborough MA headquarters
Indian manufacturer of nitrocellulose membranes for lateral flow diagnostics; headquartered in Ambala, Haryana, India; a major contributor to India's ~15% global NC membrane production share; supplies membrane to global rapid test manufacturers at competitive prices; one of the few non-Western qualified NC membrane suppliers; capacity expansion driven by COVID-19 demand and Indian government ambitions in global diagnostics supply chain
