CONTACT:
Patricia Bladow
Director of Sales & Marketing
Tel: 262-361-4931
Email: pbladow@expressanalyticsllc.com
According to Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) auditors, it’s been over 20 years since a brand new environmental laboratory has been certified in Wisconsin. Following the path of new business and new jobs in Wisconsin, Express Analytics, LLC, located in Hartland, Wis., broke that 20-year pattern when it was certified by the WDNR September 4, 2013. Additional tests were certified in the weeks after and others are still pending after the WDNR completed an initial onsite evaluation in July.
This certification allows Express Analytics to work with a wide variety of businesses in the compliant laboratory analysis of water, wastewater, solid and hazardous waste. Testing is required for many industries, public and private, because of the waste that ends up in waterways or landfills. Testing is also required for any business or municipality that provides or manages drinking water. These industries are regulated for the safety of the general public and the environment as a whole by the State and Federal government. Private residential home owners test their wells to ensure the safety of their drinking water source.
Owners Karri Warnock, from Marshall, and Brian DeJong, from Jefferson, were colleagues at a laboratory in Watertown that closed in April of 2012. Both recognized a gap in service in southern Wisconsin for full service laboratory testing. This gap created an opportunity for them to combine their 50-plus years of experience, along with their educational background, and start their own lab that would also generate future jobs for up to 20 additional individuals.
Express Analytics operates out of a 12,600 square foot facility at 600 W. North Shore Drive in Hartland. The building houses six separate laboratory spaces with additional space for future growth. There also is plenty of office space, a large sample and receiving area including a walk-in cooler, and storage space. Right off State Highway 83 between I-94 and State Highway 16, the location is easily accessible from many directions.
Current staff in addition to owners Warnock and DeJong includes: Senior Analyst and Health & Safety Manager Ann Anderson, from Mayville; Analyst Travis Haas, from Watertown; Director of Sales and Marketing Patricia Bladow, from Elkhorn. Warnock and DeJong specifically built a team with strong academic credentials, years of experience and valuable skills to get the lab started.
Anderson and Haas have also been colleagues of the owners in the past. “Ann and Travis have the attention to detail and the attitude we need to get things going,” DeJong said.
Bladow brings an outside perspective from other industries to face the challenges a start-up faces of building a name and sustaining revenue. She brings experience with both start-ups and established businesses in real estate development, retail, hospitality, manufacturing, construction/building, commercial printing and print/web media. From concept to implementation, to building a team that serves the client, Bladow has been learning the laboratory business and establishing a sales and marketing plan that sets Express Analytics apart from their competition. Warnock says, “I forget she’s not been in this industry as long as we have. She’s learned very quickly and wants to understand even more to ensure not only our growth, but provide the best experience for our clients.”
Express Analytics has pledged to offer quick, accurate results, at a great price with staff that will effectively communicate with their clients. “In this industry, it’s all about accuracy, turn-around-time and price,” stated Warnock. “In addition to that, we will communicate better with our clients because we know they do not want any surprises and we want to exceed their expectations.”
The laboratory certification & registration program, as outlined on the WDNR website, states that “the Department of Natural Resources accredits laboratories to perform aqueous (non-potable water), solid and drinking water testing for many of the agency’s environmental programs. Certified and registered laboratories must meet all the criteria outlined in Ch. NR 149, Wis. Adm. Code.” It further states that “the certification and registration program insures that laboratories have the appropriate systems in place to generate reliable data.”
For additional information about the lab and the testing that is completed, call (262) 361-4931 or visit the website, www.expressanalyticsllc.com. Express Analytics also maintains a presence on social media and has created a blog to share additional useful information. All are accessible from the website.
