Agrisearch Analytical Team Building Day
Agrisearch Analytical recently held its inaugural team building day which was held off-site to allow all staff to focus on learning some of the new Quality Systems put in place by Quality Manager John Eames. Everyone had a chance to reflect on past achievements and also to consider how various aspects of the business could be improved upon. Emphasis was placed on the importance of the role of each individual in developing and maintaining the excellence in chemical analysis Agrisearch Analytical is noted for.
A relaxed day was enjoyed by all away from the pressures of the laboratory. Christine Andrews and Jake Chapman from the product testing facility in Orange also attended, which strengthened the already close working relationship that has built up in the past year between the two laboratories.
Time was taken for an updated team photograph which demonstrated the extent to which Agrisearch Analytical has expanded in the past couple of years.
|
|
Opening of Agrisearch Analytical Product Testing Laboratory
On the 28th March 2008, 70 or so people gathered at 50 Leewood Drive, Orange, NSW, for the opening of Agrisearch Analytical’s new product testing laboratory. The new facility has been named the Michael Hood Laboratory in remembrance of the former founder of Agrisearch Services and director of Agrisearch Analytical who passed away suddenly in 2007.
Some of the happy crowd at the opening function
Staff and clients of both Agrisearch Analytical and Agrisearch Services joined Carolyn Hood and other members of Michael’s family for a light lunch and sampling of local wines on a brilliant Orange autumn afternoon, before the laboratory was officially opened by Carolyn at 3pm. Martin Collett, the Managing Director of Agrisearch Services and Ross Shields, Managing Director of Agrisearch Analytical, both spoke of Michael’s many achievements over the years since the foundation of Agrisearch Services in 1970 and Agrisearch Analytical in 2000
Carolyn Hood with Martin Collett & Ross Shields opening the laboratory
The Michael Hood Laboratory is dedicated to the development and testing of crop protection and veterinary health products to APVMA guidelines. The laboratory performs formulation development and conducts accelerated storage stability studies under a variety of conditions. This purpose built laboratory ensures that the residue testing conducted by Agrisearch Analytical at the Rozelle facility is not affected by the analysis of products in the same environment.
Everyone was impressed with the bright spacious laboratory which houses modern analytical instrumentation, including GC-FID and HPLC for the determination of active content and instrumentation for the analysis of product physical properties. Also housed at this site are the temperature and humidity controlled incubators in which the storage stability trials are conducted.
The laboratory is managed by Senior Project Chemist Susan McKeon and is operated by Christine Andrews, with the help of our new laboratory assistant, Jake Chapman. Stan Shepherd, a formulator with extensive experience in product development, is available for product consultancy. It is anticipated that the staff levels will increase during 2008 as the range of tests conducted expands with further equipment purchases.
Together, Agrisearch Services and Agrisearch Analytical can now offer clients a seamless transition from product concept to product registration.
Agilent GLC-FID and HPLC instrumentation for product analysis
Disperser for producing pilot batches of formulations
21st Conference of Residue Chemists
The 21st Conference of Residue Chemists (21CRC) was held in Melbourne in November. This Conference is the premier event for pesticide residue chemists and is held every two years. Agrisearch Analytical was represented by a large contingent of its brightest young chemists who presented a technical poster and contributed to open forum discussions on test method development and evaluation.
The 21CRC was focused on the multi-pesticide residue testing of fresh produce and was fortunate to have, as plenary speakers, such eminent chemists as Michaelangelo Anastadiades and Andre de Kok. The next CRC will be held in Sydney in 2009 with Agrisearch Analytical on the organizing committee.
 |
|
|
Andrew and Liz discuss their poster with Andre de
Kok at the conference |
|
Ross’s trip to US
In August Ross Shields (Agrisearch Analytical) and Les Mitchell (Agrisearch Services) travelled to a number of states in the USA to visit various US-based agrochemical and animal health clients and to showcase the advantages of utilizing the services of both organizations. Ross took the opportunity to visit client laboratories and to assess the latest in analytical instrumentation.
The interest and hospitality shown to us by our US hosts was gratifying. The highlight of the visit was a weekend spent in the “Big Apple” as neither Les nor Ross had been to New York before.
A quiet moment in Central Park
Recent Contracts Secured
Agrisearch Analytical wishes to announce that its bids to retain surveillance testing contracts for blueberries and for fruit and vegetables grown in the Northern Territory were successful.
The blueberry contract is offered by the National Residue Survey for a two year period and the Vegetables contract is offered by the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines (DPIFM), Northern Territory Government. The DPIFM offers contracts for a twelve month period with an option to extend for two more consecutive twelve month periods thereafter. The securing of these contracts emphasizes that Agrisearch Analytical continues to be at the forefront of surveillance testing for pesticide residues in Australia.
.
Back to Top
home | about us | services | location | links | news
