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NSF International acquires German water testing experts G+S Laboratory
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Wednesday, 18 January, 2017, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Ann Arbor
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NSF International, an independent global public health and safety organisation that develops standards, and tests and certifies products for the food, water, dietary supplement and pharmaceutical industries, has acquired food safety and water testing experts G+S Laboratory, based in Rheda-Wiedenbrück, Germany.
The acquisition is the latest of several strategic moves designed to strengthen NSF International’s food and water safety services in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). In 2015, NSF acquired Erdmann Analytics, also based in Rheda-Wiedenbrück. The following year, NSF purchased Euro Consultants Group (ECG), based in Wavre, Belgium.
The acquisitions strengthen NSF International’s consulting and technical services as well as its global laboratory network, which supports NSF International programmes that help protect and improve the safety of food, water, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements and the environment.
G+S Laboratory is an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited food and water testing laboratory offering a variety of testing services, including food chemistry testing, food microbiology testing and drinking water analysis.
It was founded in 2006 through a merger of the Chemical Analytical Laboratory (founded in 1980) and the G+S Laboratory for Bacteriology and Food Hygiene (founded in 1994). In 2012, G+S Laboratory took over the Analytical Laboratory for Chemical and Microbiological Studies (ALCuM).
Its services include:
• Food chemistry: Nutritional analysis, caloric value validation, ingredient/quality parameter testing and contaminant/undesirable substance testing
• Food microbiology: Aerobic count, lactic acid bacteria, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Listeria, yeast and mold, enterobacteria, coliforms, E coli, Enterococcus and Salmonella testing
• Potable water and bottled water testing: Bacteriological testing (E coli, coliform bacteria, Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus and Legionella) and chemical testing (ammonium, arsenic, lead and antimony)
• Other tests include norovirus testing and histology
“G+S Laboratory is an important part of NSF International’s strategy to serve testing clients in Germany and throughout Europe,” said Thomas Wilke, managing director, NSF Erdmann Analytics, Germany.
He added, “This acquisition will enable us to continue enhancing and expanding our food and water testing services.”
Wilke will oversee the operations of G+S Laboratory in addition to his management duties at NSF Erdmann Analytics. G+S Laboratory employs more than 40 people with backgrounds in chemistry, chemical engineering, histology, microbiology and food technology.
“NSF International is committed to protecting public health globally and our continued investment in Germany demonstrates this dedication,” said Kevan P Lawlor, president and chief executive officer, NSF International.
“With an increasingly global food chain and new regulations in Europe and the United States, as well as other food safety standards in other parts of the world, offering a global reach and expertise in testing is vitally important to our customers,” he added.
Several recent NSF International acquisitions in Europe were similarly aimed at enhancing the organisation’s global laboratory network and food safety services.
The 2015 acquisition of Erdmann Analytics enabled NSF International to expand its analytical testing services for the food, potable water, wastewater, dietary supplement and pharmaceutical industries.
NSF Erdmann Analytics now employs more than 170 scientific experts and provides testing services for a wide range of food products, including meat, produce, packaged foods, fruit juices, seafood, dairy and pet/livestock feed.
The 2016 acquisition of ECG expanded NSF International’s services and technical capabilities in food safety/quality training, auditing and consulting. Today, NSF ECG helps companies and institutions build and integrate effective food safety and quality management systems throughout the global supply chain.
Services include supply chain and retail food safety auditing, training in food safety and hygiene regulations as well as legal requirements, and grant-funded consulting projects for the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
NSF International has served clients in Europe since 1985, when the organisation opened its European headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. NSF International offers expertise and accredited services across all food supply chain and water industry sectors, including agriculture, animal feed and welfare, bottled water, drinking water systems, produce, processing, distribution, manufacturing, dairy, seafood, and retail and restaurants.
NSF’s food safety services include certification to Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standards, GLOBALG A P and Tesco Nurture schemes, foodservice equipment and non-food compounds certification, hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) validation and inspection, label claim verification and certification, DNA and food package testing and organic and certified transitional certification through Quality Assurance International (QAI).
NSF International’s global water services include testing, certification and auditing for municipal water treatment components and chemicals, plastic piping systems, plumbing fixtures and fittings, point-of-use and point-of-entry water systems and filters.
NSF International also provides expert auditing and training services as well as strategic and technical consulting services to assist with supply chain management, product and process development, regulatory compliance, food fraud, behavioural food safety, risk assessment, organisational culture, customized training and crisis management.
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