Marcella Schirru: One Step into the Future

Marcella, how did you start your career in Bolton?

I joined the company back in 2005 with an internship in the microbiology lab and never left! After a while, I started to oversee subcontractors with microbiological testing, and within a year and a half, I became the lab manager! I got the chance to focus on chemistry and microbiology.

A year ago, I became Quality Control Manager, where I handle microbiology, packaging, and chemical-physical testing.

Now that you’re in this new role, if you had to explain to someone outside the field “what you protect” every day, how would you put it in a simple sentence?

I take samples for analysis before the product reaches the consumer. Microbiology is the science that investigates small bacteria and fungi that must NOT be present in the product; it’s important that they are absent. 

It’s a highly underestimated aspect, and yet it’s incredibly crucial for product release and consumer safety.

Underestimated jobs are usually surrounded by myths. What’s one you have to debunk most often in your line of work?

“Just pick up a couple of test tubes, and that’s it!” You have no idea how many times I’ve heard some version of this. But in reality, our job requires deep knowledge, precision, and dedication. It’s a comprehensive job, one where I got to keep learning long after graduating.

For example?

Here in Bolton, I was able to pioneer rapid microbiology. To simply put it: normally, a single product analysis takes about 7 days, which means that for those 7 days our warehouse fills up. With this method, however, analyzing only takes us 24 hours, which makes us way more competitive. So much so that competitors have actually come here, in Calenzano, for training with the latest technology. 

That must be an interesting meeting!

It’s odd to meet competitors, I’ll give you that. But it’s also a way to get out while staying within the company. And honestly, it’s a nice way to see that we’re ahead of others. 

To this day, what’s the most exciting part of your job?

Getting to know and test everything ahead of time! I love the feeling of working “behind the scenes”. Knowing I’ll know ahead what’s next is what keeps me going. And when you work in a company like this, you’re always one step into the future.