Cherwell Laboratories was founded in 1971 by Lawrence Whittard as a veterinary diagnostic laboratory. Incorporated as a limited company in 1974, the company has evolved over the years and no longer conducts analytical laboratory work, despite our name!
In the 1970’s, we became the UK agent for an Italian manufacturing company based in Milan. International pbi is also a family business and over the years a strong working, and personal, relationship has developed. Cherwell initially promoted and serviced International pbi’s range of Media Preparation equipment to Microbiology laboratories around the country. In the late 1970’s, the company began marketing the SAS environmental air sampler. This battery powered, portable unit was fairly unique and offered opportunities within new markets, particularly the pharmaceutical industry.
It was in response to customer requests for pre poured Contact plates for their air samplers that our Redipor Prepared media service began. It is from these humble beginnings in the early 1980’s, manufacturing hand filled Contact plates in a small lab, that a full range of prepared media products has developed.
In the Summer of 2004, Cherwell successfully relocated to a new site in Bicester. This move allowed the Company to bring together the various elements of the business under one roof for the first time in 8 years. The new site includes a new 5000 sq ft Clean Room manufacturing suite. Designed and built from a clear site, the new facility provides improved manufacturing capabilities within an ISO 6/7 clean room.
In recent years, the company has also developed the Multi-SAS microbiological monitoring system for the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. Based on the successful portable SAS units, the system has been developed together with leading pharmaceutical companies.
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