MDG News and Updates

Microbial Discovery Group (MDG) is growing in many ways! We began making plans to expand and increase custom fermentation capacity as we realized the potential for growth. To do so, we needed to relocate office and laboratory space from our original Franklin facility to an 80,000 ft² facility located in Oak Creek. MDG Oak Creek now houses three laboratories, office space, spray drying and additional blending capabilities, packaging, and warehousing operations. We began this expansion in 2021 by leasing 40,000 ft² at the Oak Creek facility, doubling the powder blending room size. This expansion into MDG Oak Creek increased blending capacity and volume while providing space to add blending, milling and other equipment in the future. In addition, an external structure was built to install a 34-ft spray dryer and pilot spray dryer. Our Plant Health and Growth (PHG) market will benefit from the small micron size of spray-dried culture, as they dissolve faster and can be incorporated into field applicators. Later in 2021, we signed another September-start lease for the second half of the 80,000 ft² Oak Creek facility where we initiated construction, building office space and three new laboratories. The construction of MDG Oak Creek facility was completed […]

FRANKLIN, WI. – Microbial Discovery Group LLC (MDG) announced a recent addition to the company’s Biotifx™ wastewater team to meet the needs of their growing workforce and market expansion. Dan Romanek was appointed Technical Service Manager. Dan joins MDG with previous experience in wastewater research having worked for various companies such as; Hydrite Chemical, Great Lakes Agricultural Research and Industrial Specialty Chemicals. Dan graduated from University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with a BS in Biology and Wright State University with a MS in Biology.  “I am really looking forward to starting my career with MDG. It is exciting and rare opportunity to grow with a company whose beliefs of innovation, customer relationship, and environmental impact reflect my own. I believe we can make a real difference at MDG and help create advances towards our market and technological goals,” Dan commented. “We are very fortunate to have Dan join the MDG team and we look forward to seeing them utilize their talents and energy in the wastewater division.”  – Ardean Veldkamp Please welcome Dan Romanek to the MDG team. ### About Microbial Discovery Group Microbial Discovery Group is a Bacillus fermentation company focused on the commercialization of microbials for wastewater, bioremediation, aquaculture, consumer and […]

Microbial Discovery Group (MDG) announces continued expansion to meet demand for microbial based products and solutions. MDG Founder, Michael King, Ph.D. stated that Microbial Discovery Group is adding a second laboratory and expansion of the MDG facilities and work-spaces to double the number of possible employees and accelerate the rate of technology development. King further explained the need for expansion. “In 2013, MDG doubled fermentation output with additional downstream processing capabilities. This included the development of new proprietary freeze drying technologies and centrifugation capacity. As we continue to invest for growth, MDG’s research group is united around a passion for solving some of today’s most complex problems through the lens of innovation, experimentation and validation. This laboratory expansion will allow for additional specialization and is a critical path for accelerated development and growth”. Microbial Discovery Group excels at microbial strain isolation in solving major environmental concerns as well as progression through scale-up and large scale manufacturing.

Sona Son, Technical Manager at Microbial Discovery Group, presents a new MDG Technology Development at the Aquaculture America Conference Feb 9-12th, 2014.  See poster abstract below.  If you’re dealing with problems associated with Vibrio aquaculture pathogens, we look forward to discussing our work with you.  Please contact us at info@mdgbio.com. COMBINING THE USE OF WHATMAN FTA CARDS AND DIAGNOSTIC PCR ASSAYS TO DETERMINE THE PATHOGENIC POTENTIAL OF SHRIMP WATER SAMPLES SHIPPED OVERSEAS Sona Son, Amy Lange, Heather Behn and Michael King Microbial Discovery Group and JBS United Pathogenic Vibrio spp. are a major economic concern in the shrimp industry causing global losses of approximately $3 billion USD annually. To find potential Vibrio minimizing strategies, a thorough and regular study of virulent Vibrio species collected from shrimp ponds is required. Studies of virulent Vibrio from the field is impeded by changes in the microbial community during sample transport and current field testing methods that do not accurately assess Vibrio virulence. In this study, the use of Whatman FTA (fast technology for analysis of nucleic acids) cards to preserve Vibrio community DNA during transport was combined with a Vibrio harveyi and Vibrio campbellii haemolysin virulence gene based multiplex PCR assay1. Successful protocols will later give rise […]

The changing of the seasons can have a pronounced effect on wastewater systems, particularly when the weather gets cold. Lower temperatures correspond to a decrease in microbial activity, which slows the treatment process. If you’re looking for a solution for your wastewater customers, we offer a product specifically designed to perform well in colder water temperatures: Biotifx® FRZ.   How does Biotifx® FRZ work? The Bacillus strains in FRZ are scientifically selected for their ability to maintain their biological activity in colder water, specifically temperatures at or below 59°F/15°C. This means that treatment doesn’t slow down as much during winter, keeping wastewater facilities functioning more efficiently and avoiding system upsets caused by seasonal changes. In our in-house labs, we put our solution to the test against competing cold-weather biological products. Overall, Biotifx® FRZ performance stayed consistently high across both colder and warmer temperatures.   Biological Activity Comparison As shown in Figure 1, FRZ maintained 92% of its biological activity during a drop in temperature from 77°F/25°C to 39°F/4°C. In comparison, the two competitor products we tested maintained only 1% and 5% of their biological activity throughout the same decrease in temperature. Figure 1: Comparing biological activity at 39°F/4°C to that […]

Every year, we participate in trade shows and exhibitions around the globe, showcasing our innovative microbial solutions in the wastewater industry. This year, we will be attending the International Water Association (IWA) World Water Congress & Exhibition from August 11–15 in Toronto, Canada. This event offers MDG a platform to present our Bacillus strains, which are on the Canadian Domestic Substance List (DSL), highlighting the compliance and suitability for use in Canadian water management and environmental applications. About the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition The IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition is a premier global event focused on water management and sustainability. The event gathers experts, decision-makers, and innovators to discuss solutions for water-related challenges. Our Role MDG partners with distributors and manufacturers in the wastewater treatment market to help them increase their sales and take their businesses to new heights with our unique Biotifx® platform. Focusing on bioaugmentation treatment, we offer our partners the education, tools, and hands-on support they need to succeed across applications. Find MDG at Booth #736—if you see us, stop by and say hi! While attending the event, we’re looking to connect with industry leaders, explore new collaborations, and promote our sustainable microbial solutions […]

Consumers in the industrial and institutional market are becoming increasingly interested in cleaning products that are easier on the environment. As a manufacturer, you may be looking to enhance your product offerings with microbial ingredients to meet this growing demand. If you’re new to biological solutions, we’re the perfect partner for you! We specialize in Bacillus, crafting high-quality bacterial ingredients that effectively reduce built-up waste, odor, and more across multiple applications in the industrial and institutional market. But our support doesn’t stop when we ship you the final ingredient. At MDG, we value long-term, strategic partnerships that provide support for your teams and help you take your business to new heights. Take a look at a specific example of how MDG’s guidance and support helped an industrial and institutional customer increase their sales of microbial-based products. Ingredient Support Part of our partnership includes access to the education and training you need to create an effective biological cleaning product. The customer received recommendations from our expert microbiologists on formulation best practices so that they could craft a high-quality product while reducing the chance of spoilage or decreased effectiveness. This guidance, along with additional market analysis, helped our customer make educated and […]

The changing of the seasons can have a pronounced effect on wastewater systems, particularly when the weather gets cold. Lower temperatures correspond to a decrease in microbial activity, which slows the treatment process. If you’re looking for a solution for your wastewater customers, we offer a product specifically designed to perform well in colder water temperatures: Biotifx® FRZ.   How does Biotifx® FRZ work? The Bacillus strains in FRZ are scientifically selected for their ability to maintain their biological activity in colder water, specifically temperatures at or below 59°F/15°C. This means that treatment doesn’t slow down as much during winter, keeping wastewater facilities functioning more efficiently and avoiding system upsets caused by seasonal changes. In our in-house labs, we put our solution to the test against competing cold-weather biological products. Overall, Biotifx® FRZ performance stayed consistently high across both colder and warmer temperatures.   Biological Activity Comparison As shown in Figure 1, FRZ maintained 92% of its biological activity during a drop in temperature from 77°F/25°C to 39°F/4°C. In comparison, the two competitor products we tested maintained only 1% and 5% of their biological activity throughout the same decrease in temperature. Figure 1: Comparing biological activity at 39°F/4°C to that […]