Q-Lab (Westlake, Ohio, USA), a global leader in weathering and corrosion lab equipment and outdoor exposure testing, announced that it has acquired Arizona Desert Testing, LLC (AZTEST) (Wittmann, Arizona, USA). AZTEST performs benchmark outdoor desert exposure testing, with a focus on automotive interior materials. Q-Lab has operated a virtually identical Arizona testing business to AZTEST for decades, and the two companies share a long history of mutual respect and collaboration. This transaction represents the largest acquisition in Q-Lab’s 68-year history.
The combined business will be called Q-Lab Arizona Desert Testing, located at AZTEST’s current site in Wittmann. This facility is currently being expanded to add Q-Labs existing equipment, people, and operations from Q-Lab’s current site in nearby Buckeye, Arizona, USA. Q-Lab Arizona Desert Testing will be one of the world’s premier sites for Arizona benchmark testing of automotive interior materials, paints and coatings, and architectural materials. The site will make Q-Lab the top provider of automotive interior material (AIM) box testing in the world.
“We are thrilled to join forces with AZTEST,” says Harlan Reid, managing director of Q-Lab Testing Services. “The new combined organization instantly triples our scale, and furthers our testing capabilities, capacity, and ability to serve customers at fair prices all over the world.”
“We’re much greater than the sum of our parts,” adds Reid. “This is a true 1+1=3.”
“When it came time to find a new owner for our business, Q-Lab was a perfect fit and we didn’t consider anyone else,” says Joe Robbins III, AZTEST’s former co-owner. “Our team is extremely excited to continue the long legacy we’ve built at AZTEST. I’m also personally excited to help the Q-Lab team during this transition.”
Q-Lab is a global leader in weathering and corrosion lab equipment, including the QUV brand, the world's most widely used weathering tester. In addition to Arizona desert testing, Q-Lab also performs subtropical weathering testing at its expansive testing facility in Homestead, Florida, USA.
Source: Q-Lab, www.q-lab.com.