Emerging leader in separation science, SepSolve Analytical Ltd (Peterborough, UK), has officially opened a state-of-the-art laboratory and training facility in Waterloo, Canada, to better serve its growing base of North American customers, and complement its other offices in Frankfurt (Germany) and Sacramento (CA, USA).

The opening of the new facility was marked by a workshop on 3 October, featuring talks from Professor Tadeusz Górecki & Dr Jonathan Grandy (University of Waterloo) and Professor Gwen O’Sullivan (Mount Royal University, Calgary) on the latest developments in analytical chemistry. A focus of the presentations was two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) – a field in which SepSolve is playing a key role, following the launch of its INSIGHT® flow modulator and ChromSpace® software package in 2017.

Matthew Edwards, SepSolve’s Business Development Manager, said: “The University of Waterloo is a hub for separation science and sample preparation technologies, so the city makes an ideal location for our new base in North America. Being here will enable us to collaborate with world-leading scientists in the field, which will in turn ensure that we can continue to provide our clients with truly innovative products and first-class service.” Edwards will be heading-up SepSolve’s Waterloo site alongside Dr Dave Bowman, who has been appointed as Applications Chemist for the facility, with responsibility for developing new applications and providing customer training.

Although only founded in 2016, SepSolve Analytical has forged a position as a leader in the field of separation science, particularly in sample preparation, two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF MS). In that time, it has evolved from a consultancy-led service, assisting chemists with their analytical problems by advising on methodology and providing instrumentation, to a fully-fledged supplier of complete analytical packages.

These packages include, amongst others, equipment for the efficient, single-run analysis of petrochemical-derived aliphatics and aromatics in environmental matrices – so-called ‘total petroleum hydrocarbons’ – as well as for the sampling and analysis of breath biomarkers for early diagnosis of disease.

“The global reach of SepSolve Analytical is further enhanced by working closely with Markes International”, explains Jeff Tompkins, Vice-President (Americas) of their parent company, Schauenburg Analytics: “Schauenburg Analytics comprises both the SepSolve and Markes brands, with Markes’ focus on developing thermal desorption instrumentation and sampling accessories, and SepSolve providing tailored packages that bring in the additional benefits of sample introduction, GC×GC and detection, which includes TOF MS, all brought together with powerful software.”

“Under the umbrella of Schauenburg Analytics, the two companies have a network of technical centres around the world. This helps us serve the needs of our customers, not just by providing equipment, but also by combining their knowledge and forging partnerships with academic institutions.”

Tompkins concludes: “2019 has been an exciting year for SepSolve, with significant growth across a broad range of industries, ranging from environmental monitoring to petrochemical analysis and flavour & fragrance profiling. The opening of the new Waterloo facility is an exciting time for all of us, and we look forward to hosting seminars and demonstrations that will bring our technologies to a whole new audience.”

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