Formulation Lab & Pilot Batch Workshop

Where specification becomes product

The lab is equipped for simultaneous formulation compounding, analytical testing and stability evaluation. This parallel-workflow approach cuts sample lead time to 7–14 days from specification approval. When your application demands a specialised solution, we can move from concept to validated sample in under three weeks.

Workshop capabilities

The pilot batch journey — step by step

1. Specification handover — The formulation package (target composition, formulation type, reference product data, performance requirements) is formally reviewed by the lab lead and the project engineer. Any manufacturing concerns are flagged and resolved before compounding begins.
2. Formulation compounding — The sample is produced according to the approved specification. Active ingredients are weighed, co-formulants are added in sequence, and the batch is processed through the appropriate equipment for the target formulation type (SC, EC, WP, WDG, SL, ME, CS or FS).
3. Initial analysis — The compounded sample undergoes analytical testing: active ingredient content by HPLC/GC, particle size distribution, viscosity, pH, suspension rate and emulsion stability as applicable to the formulation type.
4. Packaging & labeling — The sample is filled into appropriate containers with proper labeling including batch number, formulation code and hazard pictograms. All packaging is verified against the specification.
5. Stability testing — The sample enters the stability program: 0 °C cold stability (7 days), 54 °C accelerated storage (14 days), and thermal cycling (5 cycles). Physical properties are re-checked after each condition.
6. Field evaluation programme — Bioefficacy and crop safety evaluation, detailed below.
7. Sample review — A formal sign-off meeting is held with R&D, production, and quality teams. Any required formulation adjustments are documented and incorporated into the production release.

Custom formulation for unique applications

The Formulation Lab is where we solve the problems that standard product platforms cannot address. Recent examples include:

• A high-concentration lambda-cyhalothrin CS formulation for a European crop protection brand, with controlled-release microencapsulation and enhanced rainfastness — formulated, tested and validated at our facility.
• A combination herbicide SC formulation with two active ingredients for broad-spectrum weed control, validated across a 4-week multi-crop field trial program.
• A white-label fungicide WDG formulation with custom granule size distribution, where the pilot batch was used to validate dissolution rate, suspension stability and packaging compatibility before the client committed to volume production.

Our formulation team

The lab is staffed by eight multi-skilled formulation technicians, each cross-trained in at least two of the three core disciplines (compounding, analysis, stability testing). The team lead is a senior formulation chemist with 16 years of experience spanning custom one-off formulations to full production series. Every pilot batch is assigned a dedicated project engineer who serves as the single point of contact for the client throughout the formulation and test process.

Client involvement

We actively encourage our clients to attend key milestones during the pilot batch production — particularly the initial formulation review and the stability test results. Your operational feedback during these stages is invaluable in fine-tuning the formulation before it enters production. We do not formulate in a vacuum; we formulate in partnership with you.

The field evaluation programme is also an opportunity for your team to familiarise themselves with the product's performance characteristics and application requirements, ensuring a smooth transition to production when the first volume batches are delivered.