What MSL Solution Providers does

MSL Solution Providers (Microbiological Solutions Ltd) is a UK-based B2B microbiological testing laboratory and regulatory compliance services company founded in 2001 and headquartered in Bury, Greater Manchester, with a wholly owned Dublin subsidiary. The company operates UKAS-accredited in-house microbiology and virology laboratories (UKAS Ref 4045, ISO/IEC 17025:2017) delivering standard tests — including preservative efficacy testing, microbial limits, stability testing, disinfectant and virucidal efficacy testing, antiviral textile testing (ISO 18184), antimicrobial surface testing, and cleanroom validation — using ISO, EU.ph., US.ph., and JIS methods across bacteria, fungi, spores, viruses, mycobacteria, legionella, and algae. It is the UK's largest third-party Responsible Person for cosmetics regulatory compliance and offers an integrated regulatory service including dual UK/EU Responsible Person representation, CPSR preparation, portal notifications (CPNP/SCPN), labelling review, SDS creation, and MoCRA compliance for the US market.

The company operates a portfolio of differentiated proprietary offerings: VeganSure, a world-first vegan microbiological testing solution replacing animal-derived culture media with plant-based alternatives and registered with The Vegan Society's Trademark; the UK's only commercial in-house EN 17272 airborne room disinfection testing capability in a purpose-built laboratory; accreditation to the new EN 17914:2025, EN 17915:2025, and updated EN 14476:2025 virucidal standards; and CleanSure, a hygiene auditing solution combining surface swabbing and air plate testing. It also sells VeganSure Dehydrated Culture Media products to third-party laboratories globally.

MSL generates revenue through per-test and per-sample laboratory testing fees, professional regulatory service fees (including subscription-based SDS maintenance), and direct product sales of VeganSure DCM, with a sales-led go-to-market model providing each client a dedicated technical project manager. The company is employee-owned under an Employee Ownership Trust (since 2019, with staff holding at least 51%), serves customers in more than 60 countries across five to six continents, and holds ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and ISO 14001 certifications in addition to UKAS testing accreditation.

Name

MSL Solution Providers

Legal name

Microbiological Solutions Ltd

Website

https://msl.io

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MSL Solution Providers is a UKAS-accredited microbiological testing laboratory and regulatory compliance services company serving cosmetics, personal care, biocides, textiles, and medical device manufacturers across more than 60 countries from its UK headquarters and Dublin subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Microbiological Testing Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Microbiology & Sterility Assurance (Bioburden/Endotoxin/Sterility) (HLAGADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Monitoring & Cleanroom Testing (GMP) (HLAGADAL), Vegan/Vegetarian & Animal-Derived Ingredient Verification (incl. cross-contact) (AFALAHAI)

Keywords

• Microbiological testing services
• Cosmetic regulatory compliance
• Virology testing services
• Biocide efficacy testing
• Vegan microbiological media

Headquarters

HQ city

Bury

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Microbiological Testing Services: Laboratory testing services including preservative efficacy (challenge) testing, microbial limits, stability testing, quality control, cleanroom validation, virology testing, disinfectant efficacy testing, textile antiviral testing, medical device microbiology, water testing, and hygiene auditing. Testing is performed in UKAS-accredited in-house laboratories. Revenue is generated on a per-test, per-sample basis.
2. Regulatory Services: Comprehensive regulatory compliance services including acting as Responsible Person (RP) for EU and UK cosmetic markets, Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR) preparation, portal notifications (CPNP/SCPN), labelling and artwork review, Safety Data Sheet (SDS) creation and subscription management, Poison Centre Notifications (PCN), formulation reviews, Product Information File (PIF) collation and maintenance, and cosmeto-vigilance. Dual RP service offered through UK HQ and Dublin subsidiary.
3. VeganSure Dehydrated Culture Media Products: Sale of vegan dehydrated culture media (DCM) products to companies with in-house or sub-contracted testing laboratories. Eight products sold in handy single 1L shot sachets with 100% recyclable or biodegradable packaging. Revenue is generated through product sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MSL Solution Providers is a contract microbiology laboratory and regulatory services company that delivers UKAS-accredited microbiological and virological testing services for the cosmetics, personal care, disinfection, textile, and medical device sectors. It combines in-house laboratory testing (preservative efficacy, microbial limits, virology, disinfectant efficacy, antiviral textile, cleanroom validation) with regulatory compliance services (Responsible Person designation, CPSR preparation, portal notifications, labelling review, MoCRA support, and Safety Data Sheets). It also sells VeganSure® vegan dehydrated culture media products to other testing laboratories.

Product overview

MSL Solution Providers is a complete service provider offering an integrated regulatory and laboratory testing service for the cosmetics, personal care, and disinfection/biocides markets. The company operates a unified service model combining regulatory compliance (Responsible Person, CPSR, portal notifications, labelling, SDS) with UKAS-accredited laboratory testing (Preservative Efficacy Testing, VeganSure vegan testing, Quality Control, Stability Testing, Biocides Testing, Virus Testing, Antimicrobial Surfaces, UV Disinfection, Airborne Disinfection, Medical Device Microbiology, Textile Testing, Cleanroom Validation, and Water Testing). The portfolio also includes CleanSure for hygiene auditing and Safety Data Sheets services. Services span the UK, EU, US, and Canadian markets with dual Responsible Person capabilities post-Brexit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VeganSure: A pioneering microbiological testing solution that replaces standard culture media with plant-based or synthetic alternatives for vegan cosmetic products.
• CleanSure

Products and services

• Cosmetics Regulatory Services Comprehensive regulatory compliance services for cosmetics manufacturers and brand owners, including Responsible Person representation for EU and UK markets, portal notifications (CPNP/SCPN), Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR) preparation, labelling and artwork review, post-market surveillance, and guidance on bespoke in-store produced cosmetics. Services are ISO 9001 accredited and insurance backed.
• Cosmetics Testing UKAS-accredited microbiological testing services for cosmetics and personal care products, including Preservative Efficacy Testing (PET/Challenge Testing), Quality Control testing with Microbial Limits (EN ISO 17516:2014, USP 62), Stability testing, and Period After Opening (PAO) support.
• VeganSure® Testing Pioneering microbiological testing service that replaces all animal-derived ingredients with plant-based or synthetic alternatives to assure cosmetic product safety without compromising vegan ethics. Covers Microbial Limits and Preservative Efficacy (Challenge) Testing for UK and EU cosmetic regulations. Registered with The Vegan Society's Trademark.
• VeganSure® Dehydrated Culture Media (DCM) Physical vegan dehydrated culture media products (VeganSure Agar, Potato Dextrose Agar, V7 Neutralising Broth, Vegan Maximum Recovery Diluent, Sabouraud Dextrose Agar, VeganSure Broth, V Nutrient Agar, V Nutrient Broth) sold to in-house and sub-contracted testing laboratories. Validated against traditional media and packaged in single 1L shot sachets with recyclable or biodegradable packaging.
• Biocides Testing Services Integrated regulatory and laboratory testing services for biocidal products, including disinfectant and sanitiser efficacy testing, antimicrobial surface testing (ISO 22196:2011, ISO 21702:2019, ISO 846:2019), UV disinfection testing (BS 8628:2022), airborne disinfection testing (EN 17272), virology testing for BPR dossiers, and BPR compliance support. UKAS Ref 4045 accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017.
• Virus Testing Dedicated virology laboratory offering efficacy testing for BPR dossiers and competitive virus testing claims. UKAS accredited (4045) to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 with an expanded virus library including poliovirus and SARS-CoV-2 surrogates, supporting EN 14476:2025, EN 17914:2025, and EN 17915:2025 testing.
• Microbiology for Medical Devices Microbiological testing services for the healthcare sector, including coating efficacy, bioburden assessment, implantable device assessment, and wound care testing using ASTM, AATCC, and ISO standards (ASTM D7907, BS EN ISO 17664-1, ISO 22196).
• Antiviral Textile Testing ISO 18184 testing service to determine antiviral activity of textile products including woven and knitted fabrics, fibres, yarns, and braids. Available for multiple viruses including Monkeypox surrogate (Vaccinia), Feline Coronavirus, Influenza H3N2, and H1N1. Pricing from £550.00 per textile per organism with self-serve online booking via test.msl.io.
• Cleanroom Validation Cleanroom disinfectant efficacy validation using ASTM E2614-15 standard, testing against in-house environmental monitoring organisms on various surfaces including PVC, latex, glass, silicone, and stainless steel. Supports pharmaceutical, medical, veterinary, and catering sterile environment operators.
• Auditing Services (incl. CleanSure® Hygiene Auditing) Hygiene-based and GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) audit support including site audits, regular sampling and analysis, and training for cleanroom operatives. Includes the CleanSure® Hygiene Auditing Solution which combines surface swabbing with air plate testing for microbiological contamination, providing UKAS-aligned reporting within 3-5 days and actionable recommendations. Extended to air quality testing for Awaab's Law compliance in residential environments.
• Safety Data Sheets (SDS) SDS creation for global regulatory compliance (CLP & OSHA) in 39 languages, Poison Centre Notifications (PCN) with UFI code generation, and subscription service for ongoing maintenance, alerts, notifications, annual review, and limited revisions.
• USA MoCRA Compliance Services Services supporting US cosmetic brands with MoCRA compliance, including acting as US agent, facilities registration, product listing, FDA/state regulatory compliance checks, artwork checks, safety substantiation, and accelerated stability studies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Good Effect: >2 log (99.99%) reduction; Excellent Effect: >3 log (99.999%) reduction for textile antiviral testing per ISO 18184/EN 18184 classification

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• XCellR8recommended partnerOthersMSL recommends XCellR8 as a partner for in vitro safety testing services. XCellR8 is GLP-accredited and offers animal-free regulatory and non-regulatory tests for raw ingredients and finished mixtures. This is a referral partnership where MSL directs clients needing in vitro testing (not covered by VeganSure) to XCellR8. MSL referral is identified by using 'MSL referral' in the email subject line when contacting XCellR8.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SGS Société Générale de Surveillance: Global leader in inspection, verification, testing, and certification with strong cosmetics and consumer products testing capabilities including preservative efficacy and microbial limits. Broad incumbent offering MSL-overlapping services as part of a much larger portfolio.
• Bureau Veritas: International testing, inspection, and certification group with significant consumer products and cosmetics testing operations. Competes with MSL on cosmetic microbiological and regulatory testing as part of a much broader TIC portfolio.
• Eurofins Scientific: Global testing services giant with a comprehensive cosmetics, personal care, and biocide testing portfolio. Competes with MSL in microbiological and regulatory testing, but as a broad incumbent serving thousands of product categories rather than specialising in cosmetics + disinfection verticals like MSL.
• Intertek: Global testing and certification provider with dedicated cosmetics and personal care, biocides, and medical device testing capabilities. Directly competing in MSL's core service lines but operating across many other product categories as a broad incumbent.

Direct peers

• Smithers Group: UK-headquartered contract testing laboratory providing microbiological, materials, and product testing services across consumer products and industrial sectors. Direct peer to MSL as a mid-sized independent UK testing laboratory with overlapping microbiological testing offerings.
• Charles River Laboratories: Specialised microbiology and virology laboratory services business (including legacy BioReliance) providing bioburden, sterility, and viral clearance testing primarily for pharma, biotech, and medical device clients. Directly comparable to MSL's virology, medical device microbiology, and disinfectant efficacy testing services.
• Product Safety Labs: US-based contract laboratory providing microbiology, regulatory, and safety testing for cosmetic, personal care, and consumer product clients. Comparable SME peer with similar service scope (cosmetic microbiology plus regulatory compliance) to MSL's integrated testing-and-regulatory service model.
• AMA Laboratories: Independent contract testing laboratory in the United States focused on cosmetics and personal care testing, including preservative efficacy, microbial limits, and clinical safety studies. Directly comparable to MSL's cosmetic testing service line and an alternative source of UK/US brand manufacturer testing programmes.
• Nelson Laboratories: Specialised microbiology testing laboratory serving medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers with bioburden, sterility, and packaging validation. Direct peer in medical device microbiology testing, mirroring MSL's ISO 22196, ASTM D7907, and sterility testing capabilities.

Emerging players

• XCellR8: GLP-accredited UK laboratory specialising in animal-free in vitro safety testing for cosmetics and chemicals. Already an MSL "Recommended Partner" referral for in vitro safety work that falls outside VeganSure's microbial scope — representing both a complementary partner and partial adjacency in the animal-free cosmetics safety testing market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/msl-solution-providers

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MSL Solution Providers