Rumbol

Case Study

Rumbol Products + University of Strathclyde

Improving consistency of product and enabling the creation of new products.

Rumbol Products

Rumbol currently operates in the animal health marketplace by manufacturing sustained release trace element and vitamin boluses for cattle and sheep. The bolus consists of copper, zinc, manganese, magnesium, selenium, iodine, cobalt, and vitamins A, D3 and E. Historically at the peak, approximately 2 million boluses per year produced.

What was the need?

The Challenge

One of the key challenges facing Rumbol Products is maintaining its position as a market leader in nutritional boluses, particularly those that offer comprehensive coverage of essential trace elements. While the product remains highly competitive, the company recognises the need to continually evolve its bolus technology to keep pace with advancements in materials science and veterinary healthcare. A major technical hurdle lies in understanding and controlling the manufacturing process at a deeper level—specifically, how boluses are formulated and why they exhibit dissolution/dispersion patterns. The ability to accurately adjust and predict these erosion profiles is essential, especially when developing formulations tailored to different active ingredients or specific release timelines.

Additionally, there is a growing opportunity to innovate in how veterinary medicines are administered, aiming to reduce reliance on repeated injections or drenches in favour of long-acting oral delivery systems. However, to fully capitalise on this opportunity, Rumbol must move beyond traditional methods and challenge long-standing assumptions within its processes. Embracing a more scientific approach will allow the company to better understand the causes of variability in solubility and product performance—transforming inconsistencies into areas for innovation and improvement. This shift is essential for sustaining quality, compliance, and customer trust in an increasingly competitive market.

What did we do?

The Solution

Rumbol Products has substantial practical experience in the production of nutritional boluses; however, this expertise is not yet fully supported by a fundamental understanding of the chemistry and physics underlying the compaction and subsequent controlled disintegration processes. As a multicomponent and heterogeneous system, the powder blend—both before and after compaction—is structurally complex and highly variable, depending on the raw material source and pre-treatment methods. The company has found that its current manufacturing process is not always sufficiently robust to accommodate this variability, particularly when compounded by changes in process parameters such as pressure and temperature, or when developing new formulations. The challenge for the Associate is to integrate a deeper scientific understanding of powder compaction into a more resilient and reliable production process by identifying, mitigating, or adapting to these sources of variability.

What changed?

The Impacts and Benefits

Impact for the Company

Since acquiring the business in late 2021, it has been the current senior managements’ goal to develop and widen our manufacturing capability and product portfolio which applies to own-brand and white label products. The bolus marketplace is a competitive and ever-increasing market space but has also become competitive, largely with cheaper, unproven products flooding the market putting pressure on products at the premium end of the market. To drive bottom line profit, we must give our current customers reason to continue distributing and stocking our brands and with a greater understanding of our own manufacturing processes and therefore our capabilities, the KTP is strategically aligned with our goals. The work done so far has not only allowed us to keep our technology at the forefront of the industry, but it has also allowed us to build an incredibly strong NPD product pipeline which, over the next few years, will begin to give benefit as these products hit markets and break new ground. With the KTP and our association with Strathclyde University, our credibility as a serious and technically competent manufacturer has improved dramatically and has allowed us to attract continued interest and new enquires and ultimately increase our reach and standing in the industry.

Impact for the Academic Team

The University has a strategic focus on supporting the sustainable growth of Scottish-based industry through knowledge exchange, and this programme provides an opportunity to engage with a locally based company with a growing international identity, enhancing the credibility of the University's strategic vision to be A Place of Useful Learning.

It is an excellent opportunity to work with enthusiastic and dedicated industrial partners to jointly deliver an enhanced understanding of Rumbol’s raw materials, supply chain and process technology. Importantly, the programme allowed the University’s academic research to be benchmarked against the commercial imperatives of a fast-paced customer-facing industry. For two of the University team who were involved in an earlier KTP with Rumbol, it has been particularly rewarding to see the coating technology developed in that earlier programme adopted as in integral part of the business’ new product development.

Involving three University departments, the programme has cemented existing collaborations and fostered new relationships. Whilst the University team has brought to the KTP expertise in materials and analytical chemistry and of innovation strategies the knowledge transfer has been far from one-way and both academics benefitted greatly from Company expertise in animal nutrition and their unique bolus-forming process, pushing the boundaries of their own experience and expertise.

Impact for the KTP Associate

Stepping into the role of a KTP Associate has been a truly transformative experience, both professionally and personally. Designing new products requires not only innovation and rigorous planning but also the courage to explore unfamiliar territory. This position offered me the ideal platform to apply my academic background in materials science and drug delivery to real-world challenges in the animal health industry. Through this collaboration, I’ve been able to convert theoretical knowledge into practical solutions, enhancing my technical capabilities and gaining a deeper appreciation for how scientific research can directly influence commercial success.

The KTP program has significantly accelerated my professional development. I’ve cultivated essential skills in project management, communication, and stakeholder engagement by working closely with customers, suppliers, and external partners. This broad exposure has enriched my problem-solving approach, allowing me to consider everything from market needs to manufacturing constraints.

Thanks to the KTP’s professional development support, I completed several certified courses—including a comprehensive training in Tableting Technology—which expanded my expertise beyond traditional boundaries. These experiences have set me on the path toward chartered chemist status, supported by my active membership in the Royal Society of Chemistry. The KTP residentials further strengthened my network and provided hands-on learning, making this journey both rewarding and impactful.

The People

Meet the Team

Jazmin Vesga

KTP Associate

Professor John Liggat

Knowledge Base Supervisor

Stephen Fox

Company Supervisor