Melbec Business Case Study
Melbec Microbiology was set up in 2013 by Dawn Mellors, an experienced microbiologist who has spent her working life in biocidal, cosmetic, and contract laboratories. Melbec offer a complete range of testing for these markets, as well as creating bespoke testing regimes that best suit our customer’s needs. At Melbec, we hold accreditation to UKAS for multiple standards to cover both cosmetic testing and biocidal testing. We offer support for companies who want to bring a cosmetic product to the market, cosmetic manufactures who need to release manufactured products and biocidal companies who developing new anti-bacterial and antiviral products and need to support their efficacy claim. Melbec employs over 30 amazing skilled staff who have helped us grow over the last few years.
Delivering outstanding customer service, supporting our local community in Rossendale, and doing what we can to protect the environment is part of what makes Melbec who we are. Our latest annual client satisfaction survey, sent out to all of our customers, came back with 100% of our customers stating that they would recommend Melbec, something we are incredibly proud of.
Some of our sustainability initiatives include:
- In the past year, we have installed solar panels on the roof of our laboratory building. Since we installed the solar panels, we have generated 26394 KW or 26 megawatts of solar power, which equates to 6.0 tonnes of CO2 per year which is the equivalent of running 2 houses for a year!
- Since our collection drivers travel hundreds of miles every week, we wanted to help reduce the amount of carbon this emitted as well, so we have switched all our collection vehicles to 100% electric, all powered by Melbec renewable energy!
- We have changed our suppliers of toilet rolls and kitchen rolls to a local company based in Blackburn as all the products are manufactured locally using 100% recycled material. They also plant a tree for every roll of hand towels we buy. Due to this we will now be responsible for planting around 1,000 trees every year! Once these forests are mature they will absorb over 5 tonnes of carbon every year!
- We use glass bottles instead of plastic for our neutraliser and autoclave them to sterilise so that we can reuse them.
Every year since we started, we have been supporting charities and reducing our effect on the environment in any way we can. From buying and protecting areas of rainforests to recycling all our waste.
Here is a timeline of Melbec Microbiology’s main achievements:
2013 – The business was started in July 2013 by Dawn Mellors and Sara Beckwith in York Street, Haslingden.
2015 – Melbec achieved UKAS accreditation for QC and Challenge testing as well as winning ‘Micro business of the Year’ for Rossendale.
2017 – Melbec wins ‘Business of the Year’ for Rossendale.
2018 – This year marked the move from York Street to the purpose-built facility Melbec currently occupies, Imperial House, Haslingden.
2020 – Melbec responds to customer demand and sets up a new Virology laboratory at their site in Haslingden, only 1 of 5 in the UK.
2022 – Melbec is the first company to attain Vegan testing for QC and Challenge for both UKAS and the Vegan Society.
2023 – Melbec wins not one, but two awards at the Lancashire Sustainability awards. Grace Mellors, Operations Manager at Melbec won the ‘Green Champion’ award and Melbec won the ‘Energy Efficiency’ award.
What’s next for Melbec?
We are constantly working on listening to our customers and what services they require that we can look to add to our portfolio. The newest service we are looking to offer to our customers in the coming months are in the regulatory arena, something our clients have been enquiring about for a while. Watch this space!
We are also always looking at developing our international customer base. With clients in many different countries, we are looking at how we can best meet their requirements from here in the UK and grow our customers across the globe.
