Pestell Minerals & Ingredients, a leading provider of feed minerals and ingredients, announced the opening of a in-house quality assurance laboratory located at the company's head office in New Hamburg, Ont.

The new laboratory allows Pestell to provide extensive testing and monitoring of nutrient content and heavy metal profile with greater frequency and provide rapid turnaround of test results. The laboratory features a new inductively coupled plasma (ICP) optical emission spectrometer, wherein the analytical process uses plasma to ensure a more accurate metal analysis. A new lab technician having more than 15 years’ experience in a laboratory environment and extensive training on ICP has also joined the Pestell team to conduct and monitor testing.

“This is a true example of Pestell’s commitment to invest in the success of our quality assurance program. The ability to provide real-time analysis will help ensure the confidence in the quality of our products that are entering the agricultural industry,” Muhammad Akhtar, Pestell quality assurance manager, said.

The Pestell laboratory plans to offer third-party testing services starting in the spring of 2017.

Since 1972, Pestell has specialized in the supply of feed ingredients, macro and trace minerals, specialty feed additives, bird food ingredients, fertilizers and salt products to the agricultural feed and crop markets.

Working with producers around the globe, it provides sourcing, logistics, production and warehousing services through its hazard analysis and critical control points-certified production and warehouse facilities in New Hamburg. Additionally, the company utilizes 12 strategically located warehouse facilities to ensure the efficient and reliable supply of quality-tested safe products to customers across North America.