For over 40 years, Butterworth Laboratories has provided independent, contract analytical services to the global pharmaceutical and related industries.
John Welch, Associate Director at Butterworth Laboratories, provides his perspective on the pharmaceutical industry’s development, innovation, and adoption of ion chromatography.
To read this latest article published on Pharmaceutical Technology. Click here
If you’re unfamiliar with how ion chromatography works, check out our Ion Chromatography overview page.
We’re pleased to report that this years Making Pharmaceuticals Exhibition was highly successful. According to the event organisers, the delegate attendance on the first day alone surpassed the total number of visitors for the event in 2024—a trend reflected in the volume of interest we received at our stand, with enquiries nearly doubling compared to last year. This year, most enquiries appeared to be focused on our Gas Chromatography services. We are now in discussions with a number of potential new clients.
Butterworth Laboratories was also represented in the seminar programme, with Jignasha Patel (QA Officer) and Elena Karayianni (Team Leader – Metals) attending various sessions. Both praised the high quality and relevance of the presentations.
Following the success of this years event, we’ve already secured our place for 2026. The 2026 edition promises to be even more impactful, with a new Nutraceuticals section.
We have just launched a redesign of our website homepage. This has been done to enable visitors to find relevant information more easily. The menu bar has been rearranged to have separate entries for Quality Assurance and Sustainability. This should make locating our Quality Certificates easier. We have also added a Search function in the top bar and easy access to a video entitled ‘From Initial Enquiry to Results – The Journey of Your Sample Through Our Laboratories’.
To view our Home Page, click here.
We are pleased to announce that our new Agilent LC-MS/MS has been commissioned and has already been put to good use with the successful completion of a development and validation study for the determination of alkaloids in an API. Further updates will be provided in future news bulletins.
Mala Patel and John Welch attended this event at the NEC. It was well attended and they had the opportunity to speak with a number of chemical manufacturers and suppliers. There was a strong emphasis on Sustainability throughout the event and a number of ideas were gathered for future discussion at Butterworth.
We’re pleased to report a highly successful experience at this year’s Making Pharmaceuticals Exhibition. According to the event organisers, delegate attendance on the first day alone surpassed the total number of visitors for the event in 2024—a trend reflected in the volume of interest we received at our stand, with enquiries nearly doubling compared to last year. This year, most enquiries appeared to be focused on our Gas Chromatography services.
Butterworth Laboratories was also represented in the seminar programme, with Jignasha Patel (QA Officer) and Elena Karayianni (Team Leader – Metals) attending various sessions. Both praised the high quality and relevance of the presentations.
Following the success of this year’s event, we’ve already secured our place for 2026. The 2026 edition promises to be even more impactful, with a new Nutraceuticals section.
We are again exhibiting at Making Pharmaceuticals and we look forward to seeing old friends and meeting potential new clients. If you are attending the event at the Coventry Arena, please come and talk to us on Stand 315 or, if you would like to arrange a specific time, email us.
Sustainability is a key topic for us and also for many of our clients, and it is pleasing to see that Steam A of the Conference Programme contains several presentations and a Panel Discussion on this important subject.
We have completed the commissioning of one of the two recently delivered Shimadzu GCs. The second, which will feature the new Dielectric-Barrier Discharge Ionization Detector (BID) is planned to be completed by early May.
The new detector will allow us to detect compounds, such as those without a strong UV chromophore or which have poor ionisation, at levels which are not possible or difficult using traditional detectors. This will make it particularly useful for Residual Solvent testing to ICHQ3C.
For more information on our current GC services, click here.
With preparations well underway for the Making Pharma 2025 conference in April, Frank Judge thought it was a good time to provide an update to his presentation on the helium shortage, which was well-received at the same conference in 2024.
Click here to read his Blog
From the EDQM Newsroom: Revised identification techniques and new CRSs.
In recent months, several revised excipient monographs and new reference standards have been added to the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.). The changes aim to support users by promoting modern IR identification techniques and replacing reference spectra with chemical reference substances (CRS).
The following revised texts were published in Supplement 11.6, with an implementation date of 1 January 2025:
Butterworth Laboratories is aware of these changes and has the relevant CRSs.
Butterworth’s Frank Judge explains the continuing importance of Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC) in the analysis of herbal medicines and traditional remedies, particularly in quality control and substance identification.
To read the article published in Pharmaceutical Technology, Click Here
We have now taken delivery of two new additional Shimadzu GCs which are planned to be installed towards the end of the month. This marks the final stage of a major Chromatography instrument upgrade. The package includes a Dielectric-Barrier Discharge Ionization Detector (BID), which has greater sensitivity than more conventional detectors and is able to detect components that are difficult with Flame Ionization Detector (FID) and Thermal Conductivity Detector (TCD).
We will be providing more information once the instruments have been installed and commissioned. For more information on our current GC services click here.
We are pleased to announce we will be exhibiting at the first of these days on Thursday 20 March, which is titled: Pharmaceutical Water Determination: From Fundamentals to Advanced Techniques.
The Joint Pharmaceutical Analysis Group, JPAG, has announced the Pharmaceutical Analysis Foundations Programme, a series of one-day events designed to provide in-depth guidance on the most relevant analytical methodologies applied to pharmaceutical products and processes. These events provide opportunities for open discussion with the speakers, the chance to meet vendors of the latest equipment/ service providers and the chance to network with colleagues and experts from across the industry.
John Welch – Associate Director -Business Operations, will be attending this RSC event on 18 March.
It is billed as a one-day collaborative meeting in the Library of Burlington House, to explore the transformative journey of sustainability in analytical science. With a focus on achieving zero emissions and aligning with the 12 Principles of Green Analytical Chemistry. The event will bring together leading experts from academia, industry, and regulatory bodies to share insights, innovative approaches, and practical solutions for adopting greener workflows. John is looking forward to hearing how other laboratories are approaching this important subject.
At Butterworth Laboratories, we recognise that our staff are our greatest asset. A healthy and supportive workplace starts with looking after both our own wellbeing and that of our colleagues. That is why, for My Whole Self Day 2025, we introduced the My Whole Self MOT , a simple yet effective way to check in on your own mental health and wellbeing. To learn more please read our Blog.
We will once again be exhibiting at Making Pharmaceuticals 2025. We look forward to seeing old friends and meeting potential new clients. If you are attending the event at the Coventry Arena, please come and talk to us on Stand 315, or if you would like to arrange a specific time, email us.
Looking at the Conference Programme, Stream A, looks to have an interesting series of presentations around the subject of Sustainability, which is an area that is often being raised by our clients.
John Welch is pleased to have just renewed his membership of the Research Quality Association (RQA) for another year. In an industry where quality and compliance are non-negotiable, being part of a professional body like the RQA is important.
It offers access to a wealth of resources, including industry insights, training opportunities, and a global network of professionals dedicated to advancing research quality. It’s not just about staying compliant—it’s about staying ahead.
Even though he is no longer directly involved in Quality at Butterworth Laboratories Ltd, he feels it is essential for him to stay up to date with current trends and requirements.
In an article produced in collaboration with Pharmaceutical Technology, Butterworth explores the history of drug regulation harmonisation and what more needs to be done.
Establishing the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) marked a significant milestone in the global regulation of pharmaceuticals. Originating from a 1990 meeting in Brussels, the ICH emerged as a collaborative effort between regulatory agencies and industry associations from Europe, Japan, and the United States.
The article provides a short history of the ICH and the fundamental changes to it in 2015.
To read more Click Here
We are delighted to announce that Butterworth Laboratories has been recognised with three Highly Commended awards at the prestigious Richmond Business Awards! The event took place on Friday, December 6th, 2024, at the iconic Twickenham Allianz Stadium.
These accolades are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our incredible team, who consistently strive to deliver exceptional service to our clients.
Our awards were in the following categories:
🏆 Best Customer Service – Sponsored by Richmond upon Thames College
🏆 Best Business – Sponsored by HRUC (Harrow, Richmond & Uxbridge Colleges)
🏆 Best Professional Practice – Sponsored by Richmond Chamber of Commerce
We are proud to be recognised for our unwavering commitment to excellence in customer care, professional standards, and business operations.
Butterworth explores the history of drug regulation harmonisation and what more needs to be done in an article produced in collaboration with Pharmaceutical Technology.
Establishing the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) marked a significant milestone in the global regulation of pharmaceuticals. Originating from a 1990 meeting in Brussels, the ICH emerged as a collaborative effort between regulatory agencies and industry associations from Europe, Japan, and the United States.
To read more Click Here