How Macomics Cut Admin Time & Improved Lab Safety Compliance
Lisa Seymour, Head of Operations at Macomics, on switching from scattered supplier shopping to one platform and why the benefits have “massively outweighed the costs” ever since.
Introduction
Macomics is an SME biotech R&D company with lab premises in Edinburgh and Cambridge, and around 20 staff predominantly lab-based. When Lisa Seymour joined as Head of Operations, MyAmici was already in place. She’d never used a procurement platform before. Here’s what she found and what’s changed since.
Before MyAmici: procurement without a system
Before using the MyAmici platform, Lisa had experienced purchasing being spread across multiple retailers with no single source of visibility – a familiar story for growing biotechs juggling lab sites, budgets and forecasting with limited operational headcount.
- Minimal training needed to onboard
- Immediate visibility into spend across both sites
- Clearer input into budgets and forecasts for senior leadership
- Time saved for both the operations team and scientists placing orders
Proof, not just promises
Every year, the MyAmici team presents Macomics with a breakdown of savings achieved – giving Lisa’s team a clear, evidenced view of the value delivered beyond day-to-day ordering.
Those reviews go further than a savings figure – they surface where Macomics could do better, whether that’s consolidating orders or shifting spend to preferred suppliers already on the system.
HSE module: from reactive to proactive
Since adopting the HSE module 12 months ago
- Every hazardous chemical order now triggers an approval step from someone with relevant H&S experience
- Orders are reviewed before the chemical arrives – checking COSHH forms, risk assessments and control measures are up to date
- The team has moved from a reactive process to early intervention
Asset module: time and money, recovered
The early results
As Macomics grew from one site to two and its equipment inventory grew with it, tracking service contract renewals and sourcing better-value alternatives became harder to manage without a central system.
- Significant time saved reconciling physical assets against spreadsheets and linking them to the right service suppliers
- Service contracts and equipment sourced at prices Macomics “would have been unable to negotiate independently”
- Admin time reduced substantially for the operations team
- Scientists freed from supplier negotiations to spend more time on the science itself
The people behind the platform
“The customer service at MyAmici is honestly the best that I’ve come across.”
Lisa highlights quick, knowledgeable support – from sourcing advice on lab equipment to fast resolution of supplier and delivery issues – delivered by a team she describes as building genuine trust with Macomics over time.
“There has been no negatives since we’ve been using the system… the benefits massively outweigh the costs. We would definitely recommend MyAmici for other companies out there, big or small, especially in the R&D and life sciences space.”
Lisa Seymour, Head of Operations, Macomics Limited