Our Story

Terry and Carmel landed in the quirky field of odour science and engineering while working at the (then) Centre for Wastewater Treatment at University of New South Wales (UNSW), where Terry was awarded a travel grant by the Australian pig industry to study developments in odour management and measurement, using dynamic olfactometry. This relatively new odour measurement technique measures odour concentration using human ‘noses’ as sensors. This led to the establishment of the Odour Research Laboratory in the School of Civil Engineering and the undertaking of externally funded odour research projects.

After 8 years at UNSW, Terry and Carmel were approached by an international consulting firm to develop an odour consulting practice within that company. The target market for these services included major companies in the waste management, food and agricultural industries – well outside the municipal wastewater treatment ‘comfort zone’ in which large consulting companies typically operated.

After 5 years of struggling to win support for expanding the odour business into these diverse industries, they decided to leave the large corporate consulting world and establish The Odour Unit Pty Ltd (TOU), as a highly specialised full-service odour services delivery company. They had learned that many Australian businesses pushed back against the corporate approach, instead preferring a more personable way of doing business. The fact that TOU opened its doors on April Fools Day 2000 was not lost on Terry and Carmel, with their new company, from the beginning, having a distinctive lighter style in the way its advice and services were delivered to its clients.

We are very proud of the expertise and broad technical coverage that we are able to provide to our many clients in the odour field. It is knowledge that has accumulated over the life of the company to date.

We thank our wonderful long, serving staff for their commitment, flexibility and the expert knowledge that they carry. This enable TOU to continue to be the leading odour consulting company in Australia. We also thank them for their sense of humour and flexibility – attributes that are not commonplace in the business world. We look forward to our two new consultants transitioning into our company style, and have guaranteed them interesting, rewarding and sometimes funny times ahead.

Terry and Carmel are still very active in the company and will continue to do so. It’s been a great journey for the past 25 years. There is more to come ….

Terry and Carmel Schulz