News

Ecowise Environmental is now part of the ALS Environmental Division

ALS has long regarded Ecowise as a leader in the provision of specialist services to the Environmental market and in particular, the Water Sector. Ecowise position in the marketplace is underpinned by a genuine commitment to excellence in chemistry, microbiology, biology and phycology and extended services including specialty consulting in aquatic ecology and niche water markets, and onsite hydrographic, atmospheric and air quality monitoring.

The ALS laboratory group shares a leading position in the Australian Environmental market with Ecowise. The ALS Australian Environmental Division employs 350 staff and operates full service laboratories in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth; service centres in Adelaide, Townsville and Gladstone; and a specialist air and asbestos laboratory in Newcastle. Globally, ALS employs over 5500 staff in 40 counties and 136 locations. The group is also a leading provider Geo-chemical analyses, Coal Testing, Tribology Services and Food/Pharmaceutical Testing.

The coming together of Ecowise and ALS joins two Australian Technical Services providers with common goals of service, technical excellence and value. The footprint and expertise of the combined group – 25 sites and over 700 staff with unrivalled expertise in water and environmental sector work – will work for you to provide a new level of service excellence.

The management of Ecowise and ALS are excited by the new opportunities the combined group provides. We are in the process of integrating back office functions, and anticipate this process will be seamless with no interruption to the provision of routine services. In the immediate term, there will be no changes to the current service delivery mechanisms. Should any changes to current protocols be introduced in the future, you will be informed and consulted as appropriate. The services provided by Ecowise and ALS are largely complimentary, and therefore major shifts in work processing are not anticipated. Where possible, and so as not to contravene agreement protocols, services that are currently outsourced by either group to a third party will be directed within the group.

For more information, call 1300 32 69 47 or visit www.alsglobal.com

Ecowise Environmental Sold to Australian Laboratory Services

Ecowise Environmental (Ecowise) Pty Ltd has announced that ActewAGL Distribution, a partnership of ACTEW Distribution Limited and Jemena Networks (ACT) Pty Ltd have entered into an agreement to sell all the share capital in Ecowise. Ecowise’s new owner will be Australian Laboratory Services (ALS) Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Campbell Brothers Limited (CBL), with the sale expected to be completed on 30 November 2009.

Ecowise is Australia’s leading provider of specialist environmental services, delivering innovative, efficient and effective solutions to a wide range of industries. Services include Consulting, Monitoring and Technical Services and Analytical Services.

Ecowise Managing Director Dean Comrie said, "The Ecowise team is looking forward to working closely with our new owner, ALS, to ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible and that customer service remains our key focus".

CBL is a public company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. ALS is the Australian operating company of CBL’s major business division – the ALS Laboratory Group. The ALS Laboratory Group is one of the largest commercial testing groups in the world. The Group employs more than 5500 staff, operates from 136 locations and has a presence in 40 countries.

For interviews or more information, please contact:

Dean Comrie on 03 8756 8010 or via email: cstomps@ecowise.com.au

Ecowise Environmental and Gippsland Water Open New Traralgon Laboratory

This week, Ecowise Environmental will open its newest laboratory in Traralgon, Gippsland. The new lab will service the needs of 59,820 properties connected to 17 drinking water supply systems across 42 towns.*

Ecowise has secured a major contract with Gippsland Water Corporation to supply analytical services which will enable it to meet its statutory requirements to provide safe drinking water to the region, as well as assisting in ensuring the responsible disposal of effluent waters.

Managing Director of Ecowise, Dean Comrie, says “This new contract reinforces that we are experts in our field and the best at what we do. The team is looking forward to working with Gippsland Water and the Gippsland community.”

The new laboratory will also offer a range of services to local businesses, including a suite of microbiological tests as well as chemical analysis.

Mr Comrie and Mr Mawer (Managing Director of Gippsland Water) will officially open the new laboratory, located at Gippsland Water, Hazelwood Road, Traralgon on Wednesday 18 November.

For interviews or more information, please contact:

Dean Comrie on 03 8756 8010 or via email: cstomps@ecowise.com.au

Ecowise Environmental provides specialist environmental solutions, including Analytical Services, Monitoring and Technical Services, and Consulting. Operating nationally for over 30 years, Ecowise services industries including government, water and agriculture. To find out more about Ecowise, please visit www.ecowise.com.au.

Gippsland Water delivers reliable, high-quality water, wastewater and waste recovery services to ensure social, environmental and economic benefits to domestic and commercial clients across Central Gippsland. To find out more about Gippsland water, please visit www.gippswater.com.au.

* Drinking Water Quality Annual Report 2008/9

Latest Products and Services

Ecowise Environmental adds Microbial Source Tracking to its Suite of Services

Ecowise Environmental, has now added Microbial Source Tracking (MST) to its extensive suite of services. Microbial Source Tracking identifies sources of faecal contamination, revealing whether the contamination comes from human or animal waste.

Pinpointing and prioritising ‘hotspots’ of water contamination, MST is an essential testing service for industries reliant on water sources, as well as those involved in promoting sustainable management of catchment resources for the benefit of the community.

Ecowise Environmental Research and Development Director, Christobel Ferguson, says, “We are extremely pleased to add Microbial Source Tracking to our suite of services, offering our valued clients a leading edge water testing solution for the identification of pollution hotspots.”

With three packages on offer, clients can choose the most appropriate group of tests to meet their individual needs, or follow Ecowise’s recommended tiered approach:

MST1 identifies sites of concern using standard assays for turbidity, pH, ammonia, E.coli and Enterococci to rank water quality results as low, medium or high risk.

MST2 supplements MST1 with specific assays for Bacteroidales by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (presence/absence result); and Bacteroides qPCR (quantitative PCR) for human and ruminant animal sources.

MST3 supplements MST2 results with specific assays for Campylobacter and Salmonella spp and qPCR assays for the Human enteric viruses (Adenovirus and Norovirus Genogroup II).

Ecowise provides expert analysis of MST results and advises on whether there is low, medium or high risk of contamination for each of the potential sources examined.

For more information about Microbial Source Tracking, or Ecowise Environmental, please contact:

Christobel Ferguson at cferguson@ecowise.com.au

Micro Test – Big Results, Microbial Source Tracking (pdf 205kb)