When Bradford Soap Works and Solo Laboratories came together in September last year to form Bradford Labs, the resulting business carried nearly 250 years of combined experience in personal care formulation and manufacturing. Shaun Gaus, president, CEO and board member, explains the logic behind the merger, the aerosol capability at its heart and why the 15,000-unit minimum is more than a commercial detail.
The name was chosen carefully. Bradford Labs does not carry the identity of either of its constituent companies – not Bradford Soap Works, founded 150 years ago, nor Solo Laboratories, which has 99 years of history behind it – and yet it carries both. 'It carries the heritage of both companies while signalling where we're headed,' says Gaus.
The combined business, launched last September, is the result of a merger that Gaus describes as harmonious from the outset: two companies with distinct customer bases and different product specialisms. 'There was very little overlap, which confirmed the fit was right.'
The rationale for bringing the two businesses together is straightforward. Bradford Soap Works was the better-known name in the industry, with a...
Bradford Labs focuses on end-to-end model
