MOLTOX named large business of the year by Boone Area Chamber of Commerce

A staple of the Watauga County corporate community has been selected large business of the year by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce.

MOLTOX Molecular Toxicology, Inc., which produces pre-clinical research products for toxicology testing, will be formally recognized on Wednesday, January 10, during the 8th Annual High Country Economic Kickoff Luncheon. Also receiving awards are Baker Forge & Tool (small business of the year) and Mountain Elite All-Star Cheer & Tumbling (startup business of the year).

“This collection of honorees helps showcase not only what is produced, but how lives are impacted by businesses in Watauga County,” said David Jackson, president and CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. “These strong, growth-minded businesses are excellent examples of what our community is capable of creating and supporting.”

MOLTOX – a family owned company that opened its doors in Maryland before moving to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina – has been an active player in the Boone business community for close to three decades.

It is a leading manufacturer of materials used in genetic toxicology, industrial microbiology, and both environmental and molecular biology. MOLTOX products are deployed by global pharmacology and research labs to determine if drugs are suitable for clinical trials, for example, or whether cosmetic ingredients are safe to use.

The company also manufactures a variety of items designed for industrial microbiology research. Offerings include Petri plates, reagents, and a line of materials to support the Ames assay that uses bacteria to find out if chemicals can cause mutations in the DNA of test organisms.

MOLTOX said it currently works directly with eight of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies in the world. A quarter of its customers were included in the Fortune 500 in 2023. And its products also are used by seven of the eight Ivy League colleges and universities.  

The company got its start in 1986 when John Rundell, PH.D., a molecular toxicologist, recognized the need for standardized materials targeted at genetic toxicology testing. His daughter, Heather Cameron, managed the business for 25 years. The company’s current president, Kristen Rundell, is John Rundell’s daughter-in-law.

MOLTOX just completed the most productive year in its history, with sales increasing 25% over 2022. It attributes its success to its employees, nearly half of which have been with the company for more than 10 years.

“MOLTOX has been a part of this wonderful community for nearly 28 years, and we are so honored to be recognized in this way by members of the chamber and the greater professional establishment in Boone,” Kristen Rundell said. “Our small and dedicated staff has worked extremely hard to grow the business in recent years and this is a testament to their continued commitment.”

In 2023, MOLTOX set up an employee matching gift program to assist non-profits located in, or providing services to, the High Country as another way of supporting the Boone area community. The company also made donations to a dozen local charitable organizations.

MOLTOX is headquartered in Boone Industrial Park.