NSF's recent expansion has been needed: demand for product testing is up

NSF International, a consumer products and food certifier, recently expanded its Ann Arbor operations and added 100 employees. That was a good call, as recent safety recalls of Chinese products have led to an increased demand for their services.

Excerpt:

Phones are ringing steadily for NSF’s services, said Lori Bestervelt, senior vice president and chief technical officer at the testing lab.

Bestervelt estimates NSF is averaging five contacts per week from companies seeking to become clients — compared with one or two such contacts per week three months ago, before the Chinese recalls became national news.

NSF recently completed a $23 million expansion to double its laboratory space in Ann Arbor, and Bestervelt said the additional capacity is coming in handy with the surge in demand.

Even though NSF also has a facility in Shanghai that tests products Chinese manufacturers plan to export to the U.S., Bestervelt said it is Ann Arbor that is shouldering most of the new demand.

"The increase in testing requests has been coming in from U.S. companies, and the request is largely for tests to be done here in the U.S.," she said. "We’re finding the clients feel more comfortable with results of a U.S. test on overseas (made) products."

Read the entire article here.