As specialists in the development and production of microbiological culture media, Lab M had a very particular list of requirements when they chose to increase production capacity with an additional grinding mill. The GCN-150 Cone Mill (Gericke Ltd., Ashton-under-Lyne, UK) was Lab M's system of choice. Following a highly successful installation and initial trial period hosted by Gericke's expert team of engineers, Lab M was quickly able to bring the mill into full operation in February this year.

Production of the specialist media manufactured by Lab M requires very strict control. Rapid but complete cleaning and validation of all equipment between batches is essential. Additionally, the new mill had to conform to the latest ATEX (ATmosphere EXplosive) regulations.

The compact and portable GCN-150 Cone Mill fulfils all Lab M's requirements, takes up minimal floor space and operates at reduced noise levels. Its simple design, injection braking and safety interlocks make it very easy to strip down for cleaning and validation. A selection of small milling cones with reduced contact areas maintains a low risk of contamination and enables batch production sizes of less than 1 kg, minimizing product losses. Straightforward operating procedures allow quick and easy adjustment of milling parameters to give repeatable particle size distribution with product-specific upper limits.

The newly installed Gericke GCN-150 Cone Mill fulfils all of the precise and regulative requirements for manufacturing microbiological products. The mill is now an integral part of Lab M's production, providing increased capacity and more flexible operation, while maintaining strict controls.