Technical Centre

Holchem’s Technical Centre is staffed by scientists with a variety of backgrounds covering Product Development, Forensic Investigation, Chemical Manufacturing, Chemical Legislation, Quality Control, Quality Assurance and Process Optimisation. All of these skills are important to the central role this department has in the company.
The Product Development team are responsible for taking new ideas from test tube to production. To do this they have to keep up to date with new developments in raw materials, new types of production equipment and also address sustainability requirements of Holchem and our customer base. Formulations are developed to a technical and commercial specification; they are then trialled extensively before finally being transferred to the factory for full scale production. The Development team also monitor numerous areas of legislation to identify materials which are no longer considered suitable for use in the food and beverage sector. Examples of this include NTA which until recently was routinely used as a chelant in disinfectants, but which is now linked with cancer. Also the team work closely with the purchasing department to predict raw material shortages and either provide alternative manufacturing strategies, or source and approve alternative grades of material.

The Quality Control team have ultimate control over deliveries of raw material being accepted into the factory, and product leaving the factory gate. The Quality Control Laboratory is accredited by the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency) to GLP status. This means that all testing in the facility is to GLP level. In addition this facility manages disinfectant life time stability studies that are audited by the MHRA.
The Technical Support team backup the sales force and field technical team by providing analytical and problem solving expertise for customers. The laboratory has access to a range of investigative tools including FTIR and X-ray Spectroscopy, Microscopy, COD analysis, Force gauges, Refractive Index and Surface Tension measurement, as well as traditional wet chemistry. Investigations range from chemical compatibility studies for OEM’s, to identifying unusual debris and providing recommendations for a cleaning regime. If a problem cannot be solved in the laboratory, a member of the team will often visit a customer’s factory to conduct an on-site investigation.