Skincare start up benefits from Leeds' expertise

Published Wednesday 4 January 2012

The Institute of Process Research and Development (iPRD) has successfully manufactured its first 20L batches for JooMo Ltd, a start-up skincare company based in York. Forty litres of product, a facial wash made up entirely from natural ingredients, were produced over two days and will be used to support the product’s launch in January 2012.

JooMo® director Nick Wallen found that it had been difficult to identify an organisation with the right skills and approach to take on the challenge, but the iPRD team at Leeds fitted the bill perfectly – combining process scale-up expertise and a creative and flexible approach to problem solving. He says, ‘Working with iPRD, we’ve managed to manufacture a unique product which our competitors have tried, but failed, to produce’.

At the project kick-off meeting in October a Scale Up Risk Evaluation (SURE) was conducted. During their initial trials, JooMo® had noted that problems were occurring during the addition of a gelling agent. A detailed mixing study, executed by Janet Welch, identified the necessary agitation requirements and solid addition rate to circumvent these problems and enable a successful product manufacture.

Professor Frans Muller, the iPRD project leader, says: “We are very pleased to have completed this formulation project in collaboration with JooMo®. Not only have we delivered material that will help JooMo® to take the next steps towards product commercialisation, it has also helped us to test our accommodation and safety procedures, and demonstrated the excellent performance of iPRD’s 20L reactor set up: no different to what’s expected in industry.”

Part of iPRD’s mission statement is to support companies in being more competitive through improved manufacturing processes and technologies. Launched in 2008, iPRD has an integrated team of world-leading scientists in chemistry and chemical engineering who are involved in research and development activities spanning from product design to large-scale manufacture and commercialisation. With over fifty year’s combined experience in working in the chemical industries - and a dedicated £5m process research facility - iPRD can help industrial partners to solve manufacturing problems and identify opportunities for cost reduction in a diverse range of areas.

iPRD is supported financially by the European Union. The project has attracted £5 million investment from the European Regional Development Fund as part of Europe’s support for the region’s economic development through the Yorkshire and Humber ERDF Programme.

Further information:
For more information on iPRD and the services it offers for business, please visit the institute's website or contact Hayley Jackman, H.Jackman@leeds.ac.uk, 0113 343 4935.

More information on JooMo Ltd. can be found on their company website.