UniGreenScheme, a green technology company specialising in refurbishing surplus laboratory equipment, has opened a new centre in Dumfries with ambitions to create 120 jobs over the next decade. The expansion into a former DHL delivery depot on Irongray Road represents a significant growth milestone for the organisation, which has become one of the world's largest laboratory equipment reuse operations since its founding in Wales in 2015.
The company has secured £420,000 in funding from South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) to support the expansion. UniGreenScheme works with more than 90 universities and hundreds of other organisations across the UK, rescuing laboratory equipment destined for disposal and preparing it for reuse, thereby extending its operational lifespan and reducing environmental impact.
The venture was established by a student who witnessed valuable laboratory equipment being discarded unnecessarily. Since its inception, the organisation has grown substantially and now operates across multiple locations. A Scottish operation was established at Lochmaben in 2018 as part of the company's expansion strategy, with support from the Scottish Government's Zero Waste Programme.
What will the new facility achieve?
The Dumfries location provides substantially greater capacity for the company to process and refurbish equipment. According to the company's current records, UniGreenScheme has already resold more than 39,000 items and returned over £2 million in rebates to its partner organisations. The new facility is expected to accelerate this trajectory significantly.
Beyond employment creation, the expansion is projected to deliver environmental benefits equivalent to removing 4,400 cars from the road through reduced waste and lower carbon emissions. The larger premises will enable the organisation to accept greater volumes of surplus equipment from educational institutions and research organisations, preventing disposal to landfill and extending the useful life of scientific instruments.
Why is this expansion significant for Scotland?
UniGreenScheme now works with every university in Scotland, making the country a crucial part of its operational network. The company's managing director, Michael McLeod, emphasised the importance of the investment:
Demand for our resale services is growing fast, and without this investment we simply couldn't keep up with it.
McLeod highlighted Scotland's central role in the organisation's growth trajectory.
We now work with every university in Scotland, and the move to Irongray Road gives us the space to take on much more surplus laboratory equipment and give it a second life rather than see it go to waste. It means more jobs in Dumfries and more people dedicated to rehoming scientific equipment, while allowing our new site to play a much bigger role in creating a world-leading laboratory equipment reuse and recertification centre here in the south of Scotland.
What do regional leaders say about the project?
Jane Morrison-Ross, chief executive of South of Scotland Enterprise, characterised the investment as exemplifying the type of development the organisation seeks to support. She described it as
practical, ambitious and rooted in a global challenge, reflecting the intersection of local job creation and worldwide environmental concerns.
Gillian Martin, the Scottish government's secretary for climate action and rural affairs, connected the facility to Scotland's broader climate strategy. She stated that the factory demonstrated how
reducing, reusing and recycling materialsheld
a huge role to play in Scotland's response to tackling the climate crisis.
Key Facts
- UniGreenScheme plans to create 120 jobs at its new Dumfries facility over 10 years, supported by a £420,000 grant from South of Scotland Enterprise
- The company has resold over 39,000 items and returned more than £2 million in rebates to partner organisations
- The expansion is projected to reduce carbon emissions equivalent to removing 4,400 vehicles from roads
- UniGreenScheme now partners with every university in Scotland and hundreds of other UK organisations
- The company was founded in 2015 by a student concerned about laboratory equipment waste
