Toll blending is a type of chemical contract manufacturing in which a client pays a fee (or toll) to another company to mix or blend specific products on their behalf. Although the tolling company or subcontractor mixes the substance, the rights to the products belong to the company that owns the patent.
Toll blending (also known as custom processing and toll milling) is a common practice used by businesses from a range of industries including automotive, pharmaceutical, and food processing.
Continue reading to learn more about our toll blending services and the types of projects we work on here at ReAgent.
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Comprehensive toll blending services at ReAgent
As an experienced chemical manufacturer, we can provide comprehensive toll blending services to both existing and potential customers. Whether it’s liquids, gels, creams, or powders, we have the skills and expertise to blend your chemicals in a controlled and safe environment.
As part of our toll blending service, customers can specify their raw material suppliers and we’ll then manage the inventory based on their forecasts.
However, the service doesn’t just apply to customers who know what chemicals they require; we’re also able to de-formulate and formulate chemicals to create products that achieve exactly what you want them to.
Our toll blending services include:
- Pre- and post-treatment of blends
- Filtration down to as little as 0.2 micron
- Blends at elevated temperatures
- High-viscosity chemical blending
- Powder blending
- Providing samples and testing before scaling up to production
- Ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and legislation.
Our service is completely flexible and can be tailored to meet each business’s specific needs and production quotas, whatever their size or industry sector.
And of course, when you partner with ReAgent you can be confident that any products we mix or blend on your behalf will always be of the highest quality.
Growth and development in toll blending
For many companies, toll blending is highly cost-effective. It allows them to access specialist expertise and equipment, while enjoying the flexibility to scale up with minimal risk. Unsurprisingly, these benefits mean toll blending has become increasingly popular over recent years. This demand has led some companies to expand their area of expertise and focus on specialist types of blending.
ReAgent has also enjoyed huge growth in this area and we’re incredibly proud of the first-class chemical blending services we now provide to customers from a diverse range of industries.
Adherence to standards and quality
As with any kind of chemical manufacturing, toll blending companies must adhere to various quality standards and regulations.
This means meeting the quality specifications they’ve agreed with their customers, as well as any relevant statutory regulations and international standards, such as ISO.
ReAgent currently holds four ISO accreditations:
- ISO 9001 for quality management
- The ISO 14001 environmental certification
- ISO 13485 for quality management systems relating to medical devices
- ISO 45001 for occupational health and safety
Case study: Automotive industry project
After experiencing problems with their supply chain, a major supplier to the automotive industry hired ReAgent to manufacture a product they’d been importing from America. The customer provided us with the exact formulation and specification, including where to buy the raw materials and the price we were to pay.
We implemented a new Quality Procedure in line with automotive practices and carried out an FMEW (Failure Mode Effect Analysis) to highlight any potential issues. We then implemented a full Production Part Approval Process, or PPAP, based on the guidelines they had provided.
ReAgent now manages the raw materials inventory based on the customer’s forecasts, while they maintain complete control over the cost and specification of these components. We’re pleased to say that the system works really well and our customer is delighted with the level of service and quality of the product they receive.
Applications of toll blending
Various industries use toll blending to meet their manufacturing needs, particularly when they require specialist formulations. Some common toll blending applications include the following:
- Chemical toll blending – this may include proprietary or patented formulations, as well as generic formulations for different chemical products. Some examples include cleaning solutions, laboratory reagents, and industrial chemicals.
- Food and beverage toll blending – this mainly applies to processed food and includes things like seasoning blends, baking mixes, condiments, juices, alcoholic beverages, and canned meat.
- Pharmaceutical toll blending – pharmaceutical companies often outsource the blending of medicines, food supplements, vitamins, and other health-related products to specialist manufacturers.
- Cosmetic toll blending – cosmetic firms may use a toll blending company to mix products like makeup, perfumes, body lotions, and shampoos to meet their exact specifications.
- Industrial toll blending – although similar to chemical toll blending, this type of blending usually involves mixing industrial products such as lubricants and adhesives on a large scale.
- Animal food toll blending – some animal food suppliers hire toll blending companies to mix various feeds for livestock, poultry, and aquatic animals.
Conclusion
Toll blending is when a client pays a fee (or toll) to another company to mix or blend specific products on their behalf. It’s a cost effective way for businesses to increase production without investing in new equipment. Companies working in sectors such as food processing, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics often use toll blending services to fulfil their manufacturing needs. ReAgent provides expert toll blending and chemical mixing services in accordance with strict quality standards.
Get in touch with our friendly team today to enquire about ReAgent’s high-quality toll blending and chemical mixing services.
