Northern Balance and Gem Scientific join the SLS team

Scientific Laboratory Supplies (SLS) – the leading supplier of equipment, chemicals and consumables for laboratory use in the UK – has announced the acquisition of two businesses, Gem Scientific and Northern Balance, to expand its product and service offerings. Both companies will continue to operate as independent entities and retain all employees, whilst harnessing SLS’s business support and infrastructure to benefit all parties, stakeholders and customers.

Gem Scientific is a laboratory equipment distributor based in West Yorkshire, supplying high quality products – including hygiene testing devices and consumables – to sectors such as the food and beverage industry. This acquisition will help to strengthen both brands in this field, giving customers greater access to a wider range of products. Becoming part of the SLS family will also reinforce and supplement Gem Scientific’s supply chain and provide the company with additional operational support to encourage further growth.

Northern Balance is a provider of weighing solutions focusing on calibration, servicing and maintenance. Based in Gateshead in North-East England, the company has a team of highly experienced, customer-facing engineers. This provides an exciting opportunity for SLS to develop a designated service business to enhance its current operations with even more expertise and resources. These acquisitions signal the start of a long-term growth period for SLS, which plans further acquisitions and recruitment to broaden its portfolio into a wider geographical area, including the UK, Ireland, East Africa and beyond.

Justin Welton, Managing Director at Gem Scientific, commented: “We are committed to providing clients with high quality and innovative products, backed by first-class service and support. The new partnership with SLS will help to accelerate our growth, enhance our capabilities and expand our product portfolio. This is truly a great outcome for all our employees, partners and valued customers.”

Daniel Egan-Sheath, Managing Director at Northern Balance, added: “We share a similar mission with SLS, and have closely tied values, focusing on delivering high quality products with the best possible customer service. This new working relationship with SLS will help us expand our capabilities and national footprint to provide a more thorough service to our customers.”

Ian Roulstone, Managing Director at SLS, said: “These new additions to the SLS Group provide further opportunity to serve more customers with a broader range of products and first-class service. The move also secures the roles of all existing personnel and will provide further development and recruitment opportunities within a growing organisation that is completely customer focused. This is an important milestone for the SLS Group, and keeping the customer at the centre of our strategy will continue to drive us forward as we increase our product offerings and expand into new markets and geographies.

About Gem Scientific

Established in 1997, Gem Scientific has been supplying laboratory equipment and consumables for over 25 years. Its extensive product portfolio includes scientific consumables, laboratory and specialist equipment, hygiene systems and chemicals for supply into a whole range of different industries. Gem Scientific's mission is to add real value to our clients by delivering the highest quality products and services supported with our professional, flexible and personal approach. 

About Northern Balance

Starting from humble Northern roots in 1971, Northern Balance has maintained a strong focus on supporting customers to achieve quality and efficiency in their weighing processes. Specialising in calibrations, testing, maintenance, supply and installation of weighing equipment and processes, Northern Balance has grown from a commitment to understanding customer requirements precisely and working proactively to find the best-fit weighing solutions. Using a consultative approach, the company support customers in industries including Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Food and Beverage to optimise compliance, productivity and performance.

About Scientific Laboratory Supplies Ltd

SLS first began trading in 1991 and has grown to become the UK’s largest independent supplier of laboratory equipment, chemicals, and consumables. Headquartered in Nottingham, the company operates a warehousing, technical storage, and logistics service across the UK and in several international territories. SLS works closely with leading international industry brands through a market leading catalogue and an extended range of over 500,000 products.

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