Celebrating 25 years of science with service
Reading Scientific Services opens four expanded and refurbished laboratories, new office areas and a new reception
Reading Scientific Services Ltd (RSSL) has celebrated its 25th anniversary in style with the opening of four expanded and refurbished laboratories, new office areas and a new reception. The new laboratory space is just part of a programme of investment in laboratories, new equipment and recruitment which is taking place during 2012.
RSSL provides analytical, training and consultancy services to a wide range of customers in the food, drink, pharmaceutical, healthcare and cosmetic manufacturing sectors. It is arguable that every manufacturer in the UK has benefited in some way from the work at RSSL, either directly or indirectly through RSSL's work with ingredient suppliers, retailers and the wider scientific community.
Over the past 25 years RSSL has worked on projects to improve the safety, acceptability or performance of a host of the UK's best-known brands. Its scientists are highly skilled in helping to investigate and solve problems, as well a providing guidance to help manufacturers meet their regulatory obligations. RSSL is also an authoritative voice in training, both in the food and pharmaceutical sectors.
It isn't only in the UK that RSSL's work has been important. Many of its customers are from overseas, so RSSL has played its part in bringing high quality food, drink and healthcare products to many millions of people.
The company was formed in 1987, and now employs approximately 300 staff. Major investment in new technology and new expertise has helped RSSL stay at the forefront of science, and the latest round of investment continues this tradition.
’The work of scientists largely goes unnoticed by the general public,’ notes Karen Masters, who has been with RSSL since it first opened its doors, and is now Marketing Manager. ‘However, our consistent track record of growth over the last 25 years suggests that our customers have always seen RSSL as an innovator, a trusted partner, and a first point of contact for addressing the technical challenges that are beyond the scope of other laboratories.
’With a commitment to investing back into the business, we are confident that we can go on providing analytical expertise, technical support, and the highest standard of customer service for another 25 years and beyond.’
25 things you never knew about RSSL
- 1. Staff numbers have increased from 65 to almost 300 in the past 25 years
- 2. When RSSL started it had 0 GC-MS, now it has 11
- 3. RSSL employs staff from more than 25 different countries
- 4. In 2011, staff devoted in excess of 132 hours of voluntary work
- 5. RSSL’s building used to be called The Lord Zuckerman Research Centre
- 6. RSSL ‘exports’ science to 43 countries
- 7. RSSL staff raised more than £15,000 for charity in 2011
- 8. RSSL trained more than 203 aspiring QPs in 2011 with >90% success rate
- 9. The DNA and Protein laboratory uses more than 250,000 pipette tips a year
- 10. Since 2001, RSSL’s LIMS has accumulated 100,000 projects, 400,000 samples, 1.2 million tests and 4.2 million results
- 11. 222,500 cumulative hours have been spent by colleagues in LIMS; this is equivalent to just over 25 years!
- 12. RSSL is the only UK food analysis, research, consultancy and training organisation to have a Skyscan CT Scanner
- 13. The combined years of taint experience in RSSL’s investigative analysis laboratory is 126
- 14. There are 1775 documents in RSSL’s Q-Pulse system relating to quality, health and safety and environment
- 15. In 1987, RSSL staff did not speak at external events. In the first four months of 2012 we have given >40 external presentations
- 16. Since 2010, RSSL's Product and Ingredient Innovation Department has used 597 different flavours
- 17. Microscopy has a reference library of more than 648 glass samples
- 18. RSSL’s Emergency Response Service (ERS) was one of the first services it launched 25 years ago
- 19. Quality SOP-25 relates to the handling of ERS samples
- 20. RSSL was first accredited by NAMAS (now UKAS) in October 1992
- 21. RSSL is one of only a few laboratories in the UK that can test for all 14 allergens (and more) listed in EU Directive 2003/89/EC
- 22. There have been 537 issues of RSSL’s very popular Food e News
- 23. RSSL’s Functional Ingredients Laboratory has in excess of 100 different methods
- 24. RSSL’s staff are involved with over 30 professional organisations and committees
- 25. If the GC columns used each year by the labs were stretched out end to end, they'd wrap round the building three times.
