Pilot Chemical adds microbiology lab for ‘competitive edge’

Based in West Chester, company has manufacturing facility in Middletown.

Pilot Chemical, headquartered in West Chester Twp. with manufacturing facilities in Middletown and Lockland, has opened a microbiology lab in its Sharonville Technology Center to help accelerate innovation.

The lab, which occupies 750 square feet at the company’s office, will bring new biocidal products to the market, said John Manka, director of Research and Development and Sharonville Technology Center site manager

He said the last three years, the company has invested more than $4 million into the Sharonville Technology Center and increased staffing by 30%. He said these investments “position ourselves for growth.”

Pilot Chemical manufactures a variety of products for various markets and applications, including biocidal products for the disinfecting, food processing, and oil and gas markets, among other uses, according to a press release. In addition to accelerating innovation, the new lab will allow Pilot Chemical to “drive productivity and reduce costs,” according to the release.

Katie Lahni, biocide technology manager, said the lab will help the company optimize its biocide end-use products and allow for “a quick and targeted way to screen prototype formulations,” resulting in a faster to-market strategy.

The Sharonville lab complements existing capabilities at Pilot Chemical Company’s Innovation Center, which opened in 2018 in Pittsburgh.

To support the growth strategy created by the new microbiology lab, Sarah Hale recently joined Pilot Chemical as a microbiologist to oversee the Sharonville lab and conduct testing. She said the lab gives the company “a competitive edge” because it allows the company to screen biocide formulations quickly and efficiently to better serve its customers and tailor formulations to their specific needs.

The company plans to hire a biocide formulation specialist to support Lahni and Hale with the development of new microbial products and maintain existing biocide products, it said. Other specialist professionals will be added to the microbiology lab as demand dictates.

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