Richard French, Commercial Director at Apollo Scientific explains how the company is investing in its infrastructure, technology and capabilities to better support customers now and in the future.
In today’s chemical supply landscape, customers expect more than availability – they demand speed, consistency, technical understanding and ease of procurement. With a long-standing reputation for reliability, Apollo has an established place in the supply chain for pharmaceuticals, life sciences, materials science and research. Now, following its acquisition by Shanghai Titan Scientific, the business has entered a new phase, defined by targeted investment, operational transformation and global scale.
In particular, Apollo is focused on building a more scalable and efficient operation. It is entering a new phase of development, supported by increased investment and a clear focus on strengthening its global capabilities. This next stage is centred on enhancing the areas that matter most to customers – improving product availability, reducing delivery times, and making it easier to do business with Apollo across different regions.
A Step-Change in Operational Capability
Since being acquired by Shanghai Titan Scientific, Apollo has entered a new phase of growth that is intended to enable continued development in areas that have a direct impact on how customers interact with and experience Apollo’s services.
Apollo’s development strategy is simple:
- Remove friction,
- Increase speed, and
- Deliver consistency at scale.
A key priority has been investment in infrastructure, which is already transforming performance. This includes the expansion of warehousing capabilities, alongside the introduction of new technologies such as automated storage systems, designed to improve picking accuracy and increase dispatch efficiency. These developments are aimed at reducing lead times and ensuring a more reliable and consistent service as demand continues to grow.
Alongside physical infrastructure, Apollo is also investing in its digital capabilities that streamline customers’ interactions with the business. Enhancements to IT systems, including the development of automated processes and integration tools such as APIs and Punchout solutions, are helping to facilitate efficient ordering and improve connectivity with customer systems. This allows for faster, more efficient transactions while reducing administrative effort for both customers and internal teams.
Each development is driven by a combination of real-world customer feedback and operational data, ensuring that investment is focused on areas that deliver meaningful benefits. So far, customer feedback is already providing credence that the investments are providing tangible value and driving real improvements in the company’s operations.
Strengthening Global Supply
A major pillar of Apollo’s transformation is geographical proximity. As part of its continued investment in infrastructure, Apollo has taken steps to strengthen its global supply capabilities, with a clear focus on improving delivery speed, cost efficiency, and overall service for customers in key regions.
For example, the launch of a new US warehouse in South Carolina marks a significant shift in how North American customers are supported. By operating through a domestic entity (Apollo Inc.) and holding stock locally, orders can now be fulfilled domestically rather than shipped internationally. This not only reduces delivery times, but it also removes the complexities of international shipping – eliminating import duties, reducing lead times, and creating pricing certainty.
The same model is now being established in Europe, enabling customers to source products regionally rather than across borders. Apollo is in the process of introducing a European warehousing solution, which will enable customers across the EU to order through Apollo GmbH. Similar to the US model, this approach allows stock to be supplied within the region, reducing reliance on cross-border shipping. For customers, this means lower direct transport costs, avoidance of additional import charges, and a more efficient procurement process overall.
This model represents more than a logistics upgrade. Shorter delivery times are an important benefit, but equally valuable is the ability to plan with greater certainty and reduce total landed costs. Apollo offers an advantageous infrastructure that provides a competitive differentiator in terms of:
- Faster delivery
- Lower total landed cost
- Reduced administrative burden
- Greater supply chain resilience.
These developments are part of a broad strategy to bring Apollo closer to its customers, both geographically and operationally. By improving regional stock availability and simplifying the purchasing process, the business is creating a more efficient and resilient supply chain. The result is a service that is not only faster, but also more cost-effective and easier to work with, particularly for customers operating across complex or regulated supply environments.
Expanding Depth and Range
Alongside investment in infrastructure and operations, Apollo has expanded its product offering, with the catalogue now exceeding 250,000 products. This growth reflects a focused effort to broaden availability across key application areas.
When adding new products to the company’s database, the focus has been not just on scale, but on relevance. Many of the 100,000 products that have been added in the past 12 months demonstrate an expansion in life sciences, including over 50,000 reagents, and kits supporting applications such as cell biology, molecular biology and protein analysis, including Western blotting. This development strengthens Apollo’s ability to support customers working across both research and applied environments, providing access to essential materials used throughout the experimental workflow.
Beyond life sciences, the range has also been extended to include specialist products such as high-performance metal scavengers, offering strong mmol/g capacity for efficient catalyst recovery. In addition, Apollo has introduced a broad portfolio of over 18,000 inhibitors, alongside a new range of antibodies, further supporting advanced research applications. The company has also increased its offering of high-purity and deuterated solvents, ensuring customers have access to the quality and consistency required for sensitive and high-precision work.
By strengthening coverage across key application areas, Apollo is positioning itself as a more complete ‘one-stop’ partner for both research and commercial supply.
Operational Efficiency and Digital Integration
As well as expanding its physical infrastructure and product offering, Apollo has made significant investments in operational efficiency and digital capability, with a focus on improving accuracy, speed and overall ease of doing business for customers.
Within the warehouse, the introduction of advanced storage and retrieval systems, including Kardex technology, has enhanced picking accuracy and streamlined internal processes. These improvements, combined with continued optimisation of workflows, have enabled the team to increase throughput and handle a growing volume of orders more efficiently. Investment in a new Warehouse Management System (WMS) is further supporting this progress, allowing for faster picking and packing while maintaining high levels of accuracy. As demand continues to increase, these developments ensure that Apollo can scale its operations without compromising on service quality.
At the same time, direct system connectivity is reducing errors, accelerating ordering, and creating a seamless purchasing journey. This includes the development of API and Punchout solutions, designed to integrate directly with customer procurement systems. By working closely with customers to understand their requirements, Apollo has been able to tailor these solutions to deliver a more seamless and efficient purchasing experience. Orders can be placed more quickly, with reduced manual input and fewer opportunities for error, ultimately saving time and simplifying procurement processes.
Expertise that Adds Value
People remain at the heart of Apollo, and having the right skills in the right roles is fundamental to delivering high-quality service and supporting long-term growth.
Recently, an emphasis has been placed on strengthening technical expertise across the organisation. This includes recruiting individuals with strong chemistry backgrounds and industry experience into a range of roles, ensuring that customers are supported by teams who understand the technical requirements and challenges behind their work. This depth of knowledge enables more effective communication, faster problem-solving, and a more informed level of support throughout the customer journey.
Alongside hiring, Apollo is also investing in the development of its existing workforce. Ongoing training initiatives are helping to enhance skills across departments, ensuring teams are equipped to support evolving customer needs and adapt to new systems and processes. This commitment to continuous development supports both individual growth and overall business capability.
Over recent months, Apollo has also introduced improvements to employee benefits, including additional annual leave, enhanced maternity and paternity provisions, and improved healthcare support. These changes are designed to create a more supportive and rewarding working environment, helping to attract and retain talent. By combining technical expertise with a strong focus on employee development and wellbeing, Apollo is building a team that is well-positioned to support customers effectively – both now and as the business continues to grow.
Sustainability and Responsibility
Sustainability and responsible business practices continue to be a key focus for this industry. Apollo has achieved several measurable improvements, including a significantly reduced carbon footprint, through the integration of more sustainable practices across the business.
- Scope 1 emissions reduced from 61.25 to 47.70 tCO₂e
- Scope 2 emissions reduced from 96.67 to 74.56 tCO₂e
- 100% renewable energy usage since 2022
- 98% reduction in hazardous waste
- 33% reduction in water consumption
These gains have been delivered despite increased order volumes, demonstrating that efficiency and sustainability can progress together. In addition, Apollo continues to offset its Scope 1 and 2 emissions annually as part of its broader environmental strategy. Changes to packaging have included the removal of vermiculite, reducing environmental impact while maintaining product protection standards.
Beyond environmental measures, Apollo has strengthened its approach to ethical and sustainable procurement. This includes the introduction of a Conflict Minerals Policy, a Sustainable Procurement Policy, and a supplier code of conduct, alongside enhanced supplier assessment processes. These initiatives are designed to ensure responsible sourcing throughout the supply chain.
Efforts also extend into community engagement. During 2025, employees took part in a range of charity initiatives, including the Great Manchester Run, raising over £2,000 in support of charitable causes.
Together, these actions reflect a practical and measurable approach to sustainability, responsibility and long-term business resilience.
Looking Ahead
Apollo’s continued investment across infrastructure, technology, product capability, and people reflects a clear and considered approach to growth. Each development is designed to strengthen the business in a way that delivers tangible benefits to customers – whether through faster delivery, improved availability, or a more efficient and integrated purchasing experience.
These changes are not about redefining the business, but rather about strengthening those aspects of the business that have already proven successful, enhancing operational capability and expanding global reach. With these developments, Apollo is better positioned to support customers across a wider range of markets and applications, while maintaining the reliability and responsiveness they expect.
Looking ahead, the focus remains on sustainable, long-term growth. Ongoing investment will continue to be guided by customer needs, operational data, and market demand, ensuring that improvements are both practical and relevant. As the business evolves, the emphasis will remain on delivering consistent quality, strong technical support, and a service model that adapts to the requirements of modern procurement and supply.
With strong foundations in place and a clear direction for the future, Apollo is well positioned to continue its growth trajectory – strengthening its role as a trusted partner to customers worldwide.
Contact
Richard French
Commercial Director
Apollo Scientific
Telephone: +44 (0)161 406 0505
Website: www.apolloscientific.co.uk
