Apollo Scientific Ltd

COMPANY PROFILE

Initially established in 1993 as M&G Chemicals Limited, the company was renamed as Apollo Scientific Limited in 1996 coinciding with its move to a 170 sq.metre business centre in Stockport (near Manchester, England). By carrying out the sales and marketing in the UK and Europe for a number of small scale international manufacturers Apollo continued to expand. That year also saw the production of Apollo's first technically detailed catalogue of fluorochemicals, listing over 1000 items containing at least one or more fluorine atoms. Worldwide demand for these products grew along with Apollo's reputation as a supplier of competitively priced, high quality fluorochemical products. Apollo had found its main niche. Why fluorochemicals, It was clear to the staff at Apollo that research interest into corporating the fluorine atom into organic molecules was growing strongly. The presence of the fluorine atom can have a major influence on the physical and biological properties and chemical reactivity of an organic molecule, as witnessed by today's amazingly diverse range of commercial products containing one or more C-F bonds (agrochemicals, anaesthetics, fire extinguishing agents, refrigerants, textile chemicals, dyes, surfactants, inert oils and lubricants, elastomers, plastics, liquid crystals, etc.). However, it was in the area of healthcare in particular that the demand for fluorochemicals has grown most strongly. Replacing hydrogen (for example) in a molecule by the fluorine atom (which has a similar steric size, but is much more electronegative) can have a dramatic effect on biological activity. It is not surprising, therefore, that many pharmaceutical products containing fluorine have been approved for use as antibiotic, inticholesterol, anti inflammatory, antidepressant, antiviral and anticancer drugs. Recognising this increase in demand for fluorochemicals from medicinal chemists at pharmaceutical companies, Apollo concentrated its efforts into offering from stock an ever-increasing range of novel and difficult to source fluorine-containing compounds. By the time of Apollos next move in 1998 to a 350 sq.metre site in Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire, the company had grown to ten staff and a turnover approaching 1.5 million pounds. Its fluorochemicals catalogue that year listed nearly 4000 compounds. As the millennium came to a close Apollo began to establish strong relationships with a number of key manufacturing companies in China. With the benefit of many visits to production facilities in China, reliable, high quality producers were located. With agreements then in place, when an intermediate sourced from Apollo showed potential it was then possible to offer it in quantities exceeding 100Kg. Indeed, one of these relationships in particular enabled Apollo to become a significant supplier of fluoroaromatic compounds into the European liquid crystal market. In 2001 Apollo decided it required its own small scale manufacturing in the UK. Renting 600 sq.metres of modern laboratories and offices on the Hickson and Welch site in Castleford and recruiting highly skilled PhD chemists, Apollo quickly established a strong reputation for manufacturing novel and interesting fluorochemical and heterocyclic building blocks, aimed primarily at the pharmaceutical research scientist. Working in up to 20 litre glassware, Apollos manufacturing strengths have included Grignard technology, Balz Schiemann and most classical and modern chemistry.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Apollo Scientific Limited leading is renting 600 sq.metres of modern laboratories and offices on the Hickson.

QUALITY

Apollo Scientific Limited is an ISO 9001 certified company.

BUSINESS INFORMATION