CBA’s Tim Doggett explains what brings him back to the Lab Innovations show as a speaker and exhibitor.

As professionals come together at Lab Innovations to explore the technologies, ideas and developments shaping the future of science, it is also an opportunity to consider some of the less visible foundations that make research and innovation possible.

Scientific research depends on having confidence in the materials and equipment being used. Laboratories need chemicals, equipment and other essential supplies that are reliably available, of the right quality and specification, traceable and correctly documented.

A strong supply chain does far more than simply deliver chemicals on time. Behind every laboratory sits an often invisible network that enables researchers to conduct and reproduce experiments with confidence, validate methods, and ultimately bring new technologies and products to market. The chemical supply chain plays a vital role in this process. By providing batch consistency and traceability – supported by the documentation needed for safe handling, regulatory compliance and quality assurance – scientists can know exactly what materials they are working with, helping them reduce variability and achieve more consistent and reliable results.

Laboratories cannot function effectively without a resilient chemical supply chain that provides the availability, consistency and confidence that scientists need

This gives scientists greater confidence that changes in results are due to the experiment itself, rather than variations in the materials being used. They can therefore reproduce tests, validate methods and build on previous research with greater certainty.

While the Covid pandemic highlighted the importance of supply chain resilience, the continuing uncertainty since then has made it even more critical. Resilience is no longer simply about preparing for the next emergency. The chemical sector now operates in an environment of persistent and overlapping disruption, including geopolitical conflict, tariffs and trade barriers, regulatory change, energy volatility and the impacts of climate change.

This cocktail of challenges can have a significant impact on laboratories. If a specialist chemical, material or piece of equipment becomes unavailable, finding a suitable alternative is rarely straightforward. It requires identifying a reliable and logistically accessible source and may also demand reformulation, revalidation, additional testing or the repetition of previous work. This makes innovation more complex and costly, consumes valuable resources and delays new technologies and products being brought to market.

Laboratories cannot function effectively without a resilient chemical supply chain that provides the availability, consistency and confidence that scientists need. If the UK is serious about strengthening science, research and innovation, it must also strengthen the supply chains that make them possible.

• Tim Doggett, CEO of the Chemical Business Association (CBA), will be speaking at Lab Innovations on Wednesday 4 November. His talk, ‘Generation STEAM – Inspiring tomorrow’s talent today’ will challenge the way industry thinks about talent and skills