For Immediate Release
For more information, contact:
Lori Van Handel, Willems Marketing, (920) 831-6580 ext. 5020, lori@willemsmarketing.com
APPLETON, WIS. (Nov. 5, 2012) Serving multiple industries across the United States and internationally as an independent testing laboratory, Fox Cities-based IPS Testing has announced a major expansion at its Appleton headquarters as a result of continued business growth.
The company – specializing in physical and analytical testing as well as interpretive data analysis for everything from paper products to nonwovens, medical supplies and food packaging – just broke ground on a 4,000 square-foot addition, which will be constructed by building owner and developer, Romenesko Developments, Inc.
The expansion, which will add 20 percent more physical testing and warehouse space, is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Over the last three years, IPS Testing has experienced a 60 percent increase in business through existing clients who require additional testing and new ones looking for services to meet more stringent regulatory, quality and sustainability standards. The company is also set to expand into new testing services, including product flushability and toy safety tests.
Bruce Shafer, president of IPS Testing, said the expansion will address three main objectives – creating more lab space for current tests, adding capacity to expand into new testing areas with the appropriate equipment and maximizing overall efficiency. He explained that the rise in demand for services has also resulted in the need to increase manpower. “Since 2007, our staff has grown by more than 50 percent – from 40 people to better than 60,” Shafer said. “This facility addition will provide new, much-needed space to complete the wide range of tests we now offer and it will strengthen our efficiency even further.”
Plans for space within the new addition also include a larger paper and pulp testing laboratory, a service that has grown significantly in terms of multi-purpose testing. Today, the company offers a series of individual tests in this area, including absorption, aging, brightness, color and repulpability.
IPS Testing will also add on to its parking lot to better accommodate customers visiting the Appleton facility and the company’s growing staff.
Receiving ISO-17025 accreditation in May 2012, IPS Testing is also generating new business as a result of the recent emphasis on product and material testing. Chris Reitmeyer, vice president of IPS Testing, noted, “Our customers are complying with stricter requirements than ever before. They are addressing increased regulation from government agencies, a greater push toward sustainability and a real need for quality control when it comes to globally sourced products.”
According to a study by Dun & Bradstreet, the small business failure rate went up by 40 percent in the five-year stretch from 2007 to 2012. Dr. Ivan Schrodt, chairman of IPS Testing, said he is grateful for the company’s continued success amidst such a difficult business climate. “I’m excited about the future of IPS,” Schrodt said. “As we grow, we’re keeping our eye on the ball by remaining strongly committed to the quality and value we have always offered our customers.”
In addressing the potential for hiring more employees, Shafer said, “The Fox Valley area has been a great feeder for exceptional talent. We’ve built a strong staff here and I feel confident in the local pool of professionals as we further build our team in the future.”
IPS Testing serves as an independent testing laboratory for many industries including, paper, pulp and print materials; nonwovens; medical supplies; personal care and absorbent products; food packaging; and allied industries. IPS Testing combines physical and analytical testing along with interpretive data analysis to offer clients testing services that help improve and ensure the quality of their products. For more information, contact Chris Reitmeyer at 920-609-1024, or visit http://www.ipstesting.com.
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