As part of any new product development program, process improvement can often be a key factor in determining the commercial viability of the project.
We bring understanding of practical realities, viability and the potential non-linearity of scale up to the optimisation of chemical processes.
Within our laboratories, we are able to design and produce optimal processes for scaling up production from milligrams to hundreds of grams reliably. During this initial scale-up phase, we ensure that compounds continue to meet the required quality and purity specifications.
We also use our detailed knowledge of introduction of new products and processes to inform handover to pilot production, helping to anticipate and resolve any scale-up problems before they occur.
In some cases, process improvement may first involve re-designing the synthetic route. More usually, it is a question of optimising the process with an eye to its commercial viability, safety and environmental issues and material availability.
Using our skills in process improvement has frequently led to the filing of new process patents by our customers.