November 1, 2011
For Immediate Release

Kelso, Washington – Columbia Analytical Services (CAS) of Kelso, Washington, announced that it has been acquired by The ALS Group, a unit of the publicly traded Australian corporation, Campbell Brothers Limited. CAS is a leading full-service independent network of analytical testing laboratories in the United States. The Company operates six laboratories located in Kelso, WA, Rochester, NY, Jacksonville, FL, Simi Valley, CA, Houston, TX, and Tucson, AZ. CAS has earned an outstanding reputation built over 25 years of service to a diverse portfolio of clients from industry, government, and consulting firms. CAS’ comprehensive suite of laboratory testing services provides its clients with high quality and legally defensible data for use in promoting human health and environmental protection.

CAS Chief Operating Officer, Jeff Christian, commented on the acquisition. “We are very pleased to announce that we are joining ALS Environmental (ALS) as a key component of their platform for expansion and growth in the United States. We look forward to continuing to provide our customers with the same level of superior technical expertise and dependable services they have come to expect from CAS.”

“After consistently growing our business over the past twenty five years, we are now excited to join the expanding ALS family. ALS Environmental’s financial resources, operating systems, and strong reputation will help us continue to expand our services to a broader array of customers,” said Christian. The CAS management team will remain in place under the new ownership, and Christian commented that customers are not likely to see any changes in the day to day operations of the laboratory.

Raj Naran, ALS Environmental Vice President – Europe and North America, states: “The technical expertise, reputation and service excellence that CAS has developed complements and broadens our existing USA based business. With the addition of CAS, ALS is well positioned in the USA environmental market as a premier provider of analytical services. In the future, we plan to further expand our market reach in the USA by providing clients with access to the combined services of CAS and ALS in a larger number of locations and a broader base of capabilities.”

About ALS Group

ALS Environmental is the U.S. environmental laboratory services group of Australian Laboratory Services, a unit of Campbell Brothers Limited, and by most measures, the largest environmental testing firm in the world. With extensive environmental, mineral and other analytical service businesses spanning the globe, the ALS Group overall has revenues approaching $1 billion (U.S.) and is the most rapidly growing environmental testing firm in North America.

For more information please contact Jeff Christian, Chief Operating Officer of CAS at 360-577-7222 or visit us at www.caslab.com or www.alsglobal.com.

Kelso, Wash. - Columbia Analytical Services, Inc., an environmental laboratory network headquartered in Kelso, Washington, announces the addition of three technical sales consultants.

Michael Fifield joined Columbia Analytical as the North Eastern Technical Sales Consultant. Fifield holds a B.S. in Chemistry and a master’s in Environmental Engineering Science as well as an MBA in Management. His previous experience includes Laboratory Services Manager at both Montgomery-Watson Harza in Albany, NY and Blasland, Bouck & Lee, Inc in East Syracuse, NY. Fifield has also worked as a Project Scientist and Quality Assurance Manager.

Gary Grammon joined as the Mountain West Technical Sales Consultant. Grammon comes to Columbia Analytical with over fourteen years of analytical laboratory service, sales and management experience, in addition to five years of experience as a Chemist and Project Manager. He holds a B.S. in Biology, and has worked in Montana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Utah.

Eileen Snyder joined as the Mid-Atlantic Technical Sales Consultant. Snyder brings over 20 years experience managing Federal, State and Commercial consulting projects in the MidAtlantic area. She also brings several years experience with the USEPA Superfund Contract Laboratory Program, HamptonClarke-Veritech Laboratory, and TestAmerica Laboratories, including laboratory sales and technical, regulatory and client services. Snyder holds a B.A. in Biology/Chemistry and an M.A. in Environmental Policy.

“With over 64 years of combined experience in the analytical field, this addition to our sales team is exactly what we need for our clients,” stated Joe Wiegel, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “We are excited to expand our services with this knowledgeable group.”

Columbia Analytical Services, Inc., an employee-owned company founded in 1986, provides a wide variety of analytical laboratory services to engineering consulting firms and industrial clients in the aerospace, automotive, engineering, government, mining, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, pulp and paper, transportation, utilities, and waste management industries.

For more information about Columbia Analytical visit their website at www.caslab.com.

(Kelso, Washington; November 10, 2010) - Columbia Analytical Services is pleased to announce its implementation of heavy metals testing that follows new recommendations released by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP). Columbia Analytical’s Pharmaceutical Division, a registered analytical laboratory providing current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) compliant testing, abides by newly released instrumental methods guidelines for the detection of elemental impurities by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS).

The USP recently proposed toxicological limits for elemental impurities to produce reliable data at detection levels that easily meet the elemental impurity limits. Experts at Columbia Analytical have extensive experience analyzing metals in a wide variety of matrices. Instrumental methods provided by Columbia Analytical accurately detect if metals meet or exceed those limits.

Columbia Analytical will be exhibiting at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Annual Meeting, which will take place November 14-18, 2010, in New Orleans, Louisiana, at the Morial Convention Center, booth #2605.

“We are thrilled to join the thousands of scientists converging at the AAPS Annual Meeting this year, sharing their various perspectives and ideas, all with the goal in mind to improve overall health through advancing pharmaceutical sciences,” stated Jeff Grindstaff, Columbia Analytical laboratory director. “We are excited to showcase our capabilities, especially our wide-spread expertise in the detection of impurities in heavy metals.”

Columbia Analytical provides pharmaceutical testing and presents sound, accurate and reliable data, coupled with excellent customer service. In addition to its heavy metals testing, Columbia Analytical’s comprehensive range of capabilities includes monograph testing, method development and validation, engineering studies, process validation and stability testing.

About Columbia Analytical Services, Pharmaceutical Division
Columbia Analytical Services, Inc., Pharmaceutical Division is a registered contract testing laboratory providing cGMP-compliant testing to the raw material suppliers, CMOs, and product developers/sponsors of the pharmaceutical industry. To ensure regulatory compliance, Columbia Analytical is FDA inspected and registered, and DEA licensed. Columbia Analytical professional scientists have extensive experience in analytical chemistry and routinely provide method development and validation for pharmaceutical testing. For more information about Columbia Analytical Pharmaceutical Division, visit www.caspharma.com.

Columbia Analytical Services announces their analysis of the B₁, B₂ and G₁, G₂ aflatoxins via liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy/mass spectroscopy (LC/MS/MS).

Aflatoxins are potent natural carcinogens produced by the fungi Aspergillus flavus or Aspergillus parasiticus. These fungi are known to grow on nuts, spices, milk, oilseed cereals and other agricultural products as well as in water damaged carpets. Aflatoxins have also been found in medicinal herbs contaminated by fungi. Aflatoxins have been classified as group 1 carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).The European Commission have set 4 μg/Kg limits for maximum total aflatoxin content in products for direct human consumption.

“Traditionally quantization of aflatoxins have been performed using thin layer chromatography, or more recently, liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC/FD),” said Dr. Ewan Sinclair, Scientist for Columbia Analytical. “However, LC/MS/MS provides greater sensitivity and selectivity necessary for trace analysis of aflatoxins in complex food matrices.”

Columbia Analytical has developed special prep procedures for complex food matrices followed by LC/MS/MS for the analysis of these selected aflatoxins. Using this prep and analytical approach Columbia Analytical is able to achieve method reporting limits (MRL) of 2 μg/kg for aflatoxins B₁ and G₁, and 1 μg/kg for aflatoxins B₂ and G₂.

For more information on aflatoxins and LC/MS/MS technology contact Columbia Analytical online at http://www.caslab.com/Aflatoxin-Testing/ or call 360-577-7222.

Jacksonville, Fla. - Columbia Analytical has hired four new employees at their Jacksonville, Florida laboratory in effort to increase their level of customer service.

Karenza Fedele joined Columbia Analytical as the new Quality Assurance (QA) Manager. Fedele has more than 11 years of work experience with Pace Analytical/ELAB in Ormond Beach. She will be responsible for the overall implementation and management of the laboratory QA program.

Janet Jones was hired as the primary Lachat Analyst in the wet chemistry department. Jones joined Columbia Analytical after working as a scientist with Kroll Laboratory Specialists in Louisiana.

James Nicholson accepted supervisor responsibilities for the volatiles section. Nicholson will manage instrument retrofit and method development efforts for RSK-175. He joins Columbia Analytical with more than 11 years experience as an analyst and laboratory volatiles supervisor.

The volatiles section was formerly lead by Jerry Allen. He has been promoted into a full-time project management role.

Cheslea Lovejoy was hired as an instrument analyst (GC/MS, GC/ECD and GC/FID), and has a role in method development, specifically for low level 8082 analysis (GC/ECD) and PCB congener analysis in conjunction with PAH analysis (GC/MS SIM). She joins Columbia Analytical after five years experience as an analyst.

For more information on Columbia Analytical - Jacksonville, please contact Andre Rachmaninoff at 904.739.2277 or visit the company’s website at www.caslab.com.

KELSO, Wash. – Columbia Analytical Services, Inc. announced today that four of its laboratories have met the requirements of the Department of Defense (DoD) Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) and each have been awarded a certificate of accreditation.

The recently accredited laboratories are located in Houston, Texas, Simi Valley, Calif., Rochester, N.Y., and Kelso, Wash. Columbia Analytical’s Houston facility is dedicated to high resolution analyses of analytes such as dioxin, furans and PCB congeners and the Simi Valley laboratory specializes in the analysis of ambient and indoor air pollution, stationary source emissions, process gas, and industrial hygiene samples. The Rochester facility, a full service laboratory, also offers air analyses and other specialized testing like that for perchlorate by LC/MS. The Kelso laboratory became DoD-ELAP accredited in November 2009 and specializes in non-routine, complex low-level analyses requiring a high degree of technical expertise.

The full scope of accreditation, including the list of analytes to which these accreditations apply, may be found on Columbia Analytical’s DoD ELAP webpage.

Columbia Analytical is an employee-owned, full-service environmental analytical laboratory testing network established in 1986 and headquartered in Kelso, Washington. Their expertise encompasses air, water, dioxin, biological, pharmaceutical, solid and hazardous waste analyses.

For more information contact Columbia Analytical at 360-577-7222 or visit their website at www.caslab.com.

Simi Valley, Calif. — A low cost testing option is now available from Columbia Analytical for detecting elemental sulfur (S8) in bulk drywall. The testing focuses on orthorhombic cyclooctasulfur (elemental sulfur: S8), a unique marker compound found only in drywall which causes corrosion. The test costs approximately $100 per drywall sample, depending on your project.

Columbia Analytical’s proven method for elemental sulfur uses gas chromatography with electron capture detection (GC/ECD) and allows for rapid turnaround of sample results. The GC/ECD analytical technique offers comparable sensitivity to the GC/MS method also offered by Columbia Analytical, but at a substantially lower cost.

The low cost GC/ECD analysis allows clients to screen a large volume of drywall samples quickly for S8. Because drywall used in home construction can be from mixed sources, submission of multiple samples from one suspect home may be done to reduce the risk of false negative results. In addition, confirmatory analysis of drywall for S8 by GC/MS is still available and may be performed on the same sample as the GC/ECD analysis.

Roughly 5g (approximately 2”x2”) of bulk drywall material is all that is required for this new GC/ECD analysis. Results are reported in units of mg/kg. A result higher than 10 mg/kg is typically indicative of corrosive drywall, making it easy to identify “bad drywall.”

Columbia Analytical’s Research & Development team began laboratory analysis on suspect drywall in spring 2008. They have since analyzed several hundred drywall samples from homeowners, home builders and developers, environmental consultants/industrial hygienists, government agencies and contractors, as well as, domestic and foreign drywall producers as part of their method development.

Columbia Analytical Services, Inc. is an employee-owned, full-service environmental analytical laboratory testing network established in 1986 and headquartered in Kelso, Washington. Their expertise encompasses air, water, dioxin, biological, pharmaceutical, solid and hazardous waste analyses.

For more information on the laboratory analysis of problem drywall, contact Alyson Fortune at 978.501.2735 or visit Columbia Analytical’s website at www.caslab.com.

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Learn more about Chinese drywall testing…

Columbia Analytical’s Kelso laboratory is the first lab in the nation to have its assessment results submitted to the Department of Defense (DoD) Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP). Laboratories which seek to perform new testing projects for DoD environmental restoration programs need the DoD ELAP accreditation by October 1, 2009, according to a memorandum released by the Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense.

“Our laboratories are well-versed in DoD QSM requirements and have been providing testing services for the DoD for many years,” said Lee Wolf, Quality Assurance Director for Columbia Analytical. ”Since NELAP standards were already established as the baseline for our quality systems, implementation of the QSM and compliance with the new DoD ELAP will not pose any significant challenges to current systems.”

DoD ELAP is a long-awaited program which standardizes the laboratory testing requirements of the US Navy, US Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), and the Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment (AFCEE). The program elevates the standard for laboratory operations and quality systems implementation. The foundation for the DoD ELAP is the DoD Quality Systems Manual (QSM) Version 4.1, which is based on NELAP and ISO standards for testing laboratories.

According to the memorandum, laboratories that currently have DoD component (Army, Navy, or Air Force) approvals in place will be subject to DoD ELAP requirements when those approvals expire or when scope changes are necessary. Laboratories which seek to perform testing for DoD environmental restoration programs for the first time or who hold an expired DoD approval need to be accredited in accordance with the DoD ELAP before they can provide services.

Columbia Analytical Services, Inc. is an employee-owned, full-service environmental analytical laboratory testing network established in 1986 and headquartered in Kelso, Washington. Their expertise encompasses air, water, dioxin, biological, pharmaceutical, solid and hazardous waste analyses.

For questions on the implementation and requirements of the DoD QSM contact Columbia Analytical at 360-577-7222 or visit their website at www.caslab.com.

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View the current status of Columbia Analytical’s DoD ELAP Accreditation.

 
UPDATE: Columbia Analytical (Kelso) is now accredited for the DoD-ELAP program…

KELSO, Wash. - Columbia Analytical received the Excellence in Workforce Education business award from the Kelso-Longview Chamber of Commerce in Cowlitz County, Wash.

This award honors employers who have demonstrated achievement in providing high quality workforce education and training in Cowlitz County.

Award recipients were selected based upon the development and implementation of workforce programs that are innovative in nature; improve the preparation and performance of the emerging or incumbent workforce; have measurable outcomes; and demonstrate collaboration between business, government, and education.

Columbia Analytical attributes the success of its workforce education program to having many quality educational opportunities. The company requires employees to participate in 16-hours of company-paid continuing education per year, which can include in-house training, outside seminars, self-study, with up to 100% tuition reimbursement. In addition, Columbia Analytical provides 16-hours of initial Ethics training to all new employees and provides on-going quarterly ethics training to all employees.

Columbia Analytical employees in its Kelso, Wash. laboratory participated in over 4,000 hours of company-paid continuing education in 2008 for an average of 24 hours per employee.

Columbia Analytical has partnered with Lower Columbia College (LCC) in Longview, Wash. to provide on-site technical training, including technical writing and introduction to chemistry courses, for its employees. President of Columbia Analytical, Steve Vincent, currently serves as the LCC Foundation President. Approximately 15% of the Columbia Analytical’s Kelso employees are LCC graduates and over 30% of its employees have taken LCC courses.

Columbia Analytical also provides two to three LCC Fellowships per year for selected candidates. This fellowship provides a 100% paid scholarship for books, fees and tuition as well as a part-time job for selected candidates. The company nurtures science focused education for deserving scholars with the hope that they will become outstanding employees for Columbia Analytical.

For more information, please contact Alicia Shepard of Columbia Analytical Services, Inc.

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Recent news reports suggest that wallboard may be causing odor problems and potential safety concerns for some homeowners, initially reported from Florida.

Certain wallboard materials in the presence of heat and humidity may emit odors, cause corrosion of wiring in homes and lead to health concerns.

Preliminary reports stated that the suspect materials came from China; however, state and federal health officials are currently researching numerous sources as well as any potential health hazards. Columbia Analytical has been performing analyses to support these efforts.

Columbia Analytical is one of a very few laboratories in the United States that can test for a wide range of compounds in air. Their expertise includes the testing of air samples or samples of the wallboard material itself. Please contact the laboratory at 805-526-7161 for more information or to obtain a quote.

Learn more about Chinese Drywall Testing…

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