MDG News and Updates

FRANKLIN, WI. – Microbial Discovery Group LLC (MDG) www.mdgbio.com is pleased to announce the newest addition to their Biotifx™ wastewater sales force: Luke Mickelson.  The addition will help further advance MDG’s growing collection of regional and national accounts.  Luke comes to MDG with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the wastewater field after spending the last 18 years in several different roles at a regional waste treatment company.  In addition to his tenure at WATERTECH Inc., last serving as the Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Luke has served on the AWT wastewater sub-committee and was a CEU certified water and wastewater treatment instructor, training operators on the processes of water and wastewater polymer selection and applications. Luke, a proud Idaho resident and skilled sturgeon fisherman, is joining team MDG as the Western Region Territory Account Manager where he will have a direct impact on continuing the mission of implementing bioagumentation in wastewater treatment Luke Mickelson, Western Territory Account Manager facilities.  When asked about what he is most excited about in joining MDG, Luke commented, “I am fascinated with what the microbial field offers.  I see MDG as an innovative and pioneering company that I have always wanted to be […]

Microbial Discovery Group (MDG) LLC celebrated the expansion of their R&D and production facility with a ribbon cutting on August 5th.  Microbial Discovery Group (MDG), founded in 2007 in their current location in Franklin, WI, needed to expand to meet demand for new opportunities for microbial-based products and solutions. MDG added a second laboratory and expanded the MDG facilities and workspaces to double the number of possible employees and accelerate the rate of technology development.  This expansion was on the heels of manufacturing expansion and processing changes that almost doubled capacity the year before.  According to MDG founder, Michael King, Ph.D., “As MDG continues to scale-up to meet demand; the number of team members has grown from 2 to 20 employees making this expansion an absolute necessity.  We needed to make room for the second laboratory but most importantly needed to house our most valuable asset, our people.”  MDG’s talented team includes scientists, engineers, technical support, production, business development and customer service. The $500,000 expansion and facility update added an additional 3500 square feet of laboratory and office space for two recently hired microbiologists, one admin position and additional interns. MDG is currently recruiting two more scientists, a production manager and a regulatory/international registration […]

Microbial Discovery Group LLC (MDG) is pleased to announce the hiring of Ardean Veldkamp as Business Development Manager. Veldkamp’s strategic focus will be to create partner relationships, product platforms and licensing opportunities for Microbial Discovery Group. Veldkamp brings over 20 years of sales and business development experience working with microbials in the animal and environmental industry.  Before joining MDG, Veldkamp worked at DuPont, Danisco, Agtech Products and Loveland Industries. “I am excited about the world of opportunity in this field and am especially looking forward to working with MDG”, stated Veldkamp. Veldkamp and MDG founder, Michael King, Ph.D., had worked together previously at Agtech Products to develop and commercialize direct fed microbials for the agricultural industry. “We are very fortunate to have Ardean’s vision and experience here at MDG to help navigate the challenges and see the opportunities within the various market segments,” King added.  “He will be a great asset to our customers and team.”

Franklin, WI. – Microbial Discovery Group (MDG), a R&D driven Bacillus fermentation company, announces plans for expansion to accommodate continuing growth and future developmental plans. Answering increasing demand for their microbial-based products and solutions, MDG will execute short and long term expansion efforts in alignment with their business growth priorities which will provide capacity for increased sales, production, and employees. A phased expansion approach will take place throughout 2017-2019 both within and beyond the existing 20,000 sq. ft. Franklin facility. The Franklin facility is currently gaining additional fermentation and drying capacity that is projected to be operational in August, 2018. The Franklin expansion alone will bring MDG’s revenue capacity to roughly $25M USD. With demand projections continuing to climb, MDG has set strategic plans to creating a future of $50M in revenue creation. MDG is moving its powder and liquid blending operations to a 40,000 sq. ft. building in Oak Creek, WI to create space for the new fermentation capacity and future expansion needs. In 2019, the Oak Creek facility will feature additional offices and laboratories to house an added 40 employees who will be hired over the next 3-5 years. All phases contribute to the companies’ ability and readiness to serve their customers. MDG’s […]

I am amazed by all of the studies and tests taking place in our lab to develop new and improved products. This really keeps our customers on the cutting edge of new technology. Just when I think we have found the final solution to a major problem area for one of our partners, we continue working to find something even better. It seems like everyone at Microbial Discovery Group has an obsession with solving problems, while others just seem to stop working after they find one solution that works pretty well. This year alone, we have developed so many new products, some we currently offer, and others should be available shortly. Don’t hesitate to ask if we have a product that works in a particular situation, you may be very surprised to find out that we have it currently on stability testing. I look forward to your call! – Michael Davis

As consumers, we constantly search for a particular level of quality in everything we purchase. From toilet tissue, cleaning products, or microbial products, there is an expectation to deliver upon standards. Those standards are established through trust, and it’s incredibly important to uphold that trust to keep the customer coming back. MDG is passionate about delivering a product that meets that high and personal standard. A standard we achieve each time through our trusted processes and quality control (QC) testing. Compatible ingredients such as preservatives, dyes, surfactants, and fragrances are recommended from a list of stability tested ingredients guaranteeing a two-year shelf life. Once an existing or newly formulated product is created, its blended and the SPECs (specifications) are tested via our quality control lab. SPECS such as the effective amount of bacteria for the application, factors that prevent spoilage (pH and preservatives), and making sure there are no unwanted organisms such as pathogens present in the final product. The SPECS are essential to consider the level of quality when QC checks a concentrated Bacillus product, see below:   CFU: AKA, CFU/g or ‘Colony Forming Units’ per gram.  This value represents the actual number of culturable cells in a gram of material. This […]

According to the EPA, about 1 in 5 US homes depend on septic systems, and with the uptick in professionals working from home, septic tank maintenance and backup prevention tips are among some of the top online searches. Septic service companies are in high demand, more people are home adding materials to the systems’ limited capacity, and high amounts of disinfectants are being used; all of which, are putting home septic systems to the test. Thankfully, there are many proactive measures you can take to prevent an untimely backup. Top 5 tips to protect your septic system: Recognize your septic system is a biological system. Septic systems are functioning ecosystems filled with living microorganisms. These microorganisms work to keep your septic systems clear by breaking down human waste and toilet paper. Be mindful of the disinfectants, sanitizers, house cleaners, and chemicals. Highly concentrated bleach products, other disinfectants, and strong chemical-based drain cleaners can be harmful to septic biology. Septic system biology tends to be overexposed to harsh chemicals through the improper disposal of toxic chemistries such as engine oil and paint cleaners, as well as the overuse of strong chemical products. Only flush human waste and toilet paper. Much too often, wipes, […]

If your customer is smelling the result of decomposing organic matter, such as feces, other bodily fluids, dairy, meat, or plant-based materials, chances are they’re smelling a Volatile Fatty Acid (VFA). Figure 1. Common odors associated with VFAs. VFAs are organic acids produced by the microbial metabolism of biomass and food waste; such as dietary fiber, starch, protein, and amino acids. To beat these odors, certain strains of Bacillus have the ability to breakdown VFAs, thereby helping to reduce the problem at the source. At Microbial Discovery Group (MDG) an in-vitro study was conducted to measure the growth of our Bacillus strains in the presence of VFAs. SporActiv® Foundation was grown in media containing acetate and a combination of common VFAs found in the I&I market; acetate, butyrate, propionate, valerate, isovalerate, and isobutyrate. These VFAs were chosen because of their known connection to unpleasant odors.   RESULTS Figure 2. Increase in growth of SporActiv® Foundation grown in media containing acetate, or a combination of six VFAs. The results show that growth of SporActiv® Foundation Bacillus increased by more than 50% when acetate was present, and by more than 100% when the six VFAs were present (Figure 2). The addition of these VFAs allowed for increased Bacillus growth, indicating the […]

Outdoor activities like RV camping are an ideal way for travelers to escape indoor isolation. It’s all about packing up the necessities and hitting the open road. Living out of an RV camper for any amount of time will likely include eating, sleeping, and using the bathroom. These are some of the essentials that are all part of the experience. Imagine being a traveler; Sitting around the campfire, cooking outdoors, and hiking are just a few of the fun activities to enjoy. However, smelling sewage while sitting in your RV, drinking that morning cup of hot coffee looking over a beautiful scenic view is not ideal. Luckily, MDG is here to ensure these odors don’t ruin the RV experience! As a cleaning solutions manufacturer and/or distributor, you may know that there are three main types of RV septic tank treatments on the market: Chemical-based Biological-based Combination of chemical and biological-based These all have their time and place for when they’re best used and are discussed in detail below, but treatments that contain Bacillus are superior for long-term effectiveness and are something to consider if you aren’t already offering. Chemical-Based Treatments Chemical-based products have been used for years and often include strong compounds […]