Phytocontrol, a private, independent French laboratory group and leader in food and water safety, inaugurated the extension to its central laboratory on Tuesday November 27.
A 4000m laboratory2 in total
Phytocontrol adds 1000m2 to its central laboratory in Nîmes, to support its dynamic development (30% growth per year) in agri-food and hydrological analyses. Since this summer, this wing has housed analytical production and all R&D departments.
Supported by the Region, the State and Nîmes Métropole, this new building, costing almost 2.5 million euros, brings the total surface area of the analysis center to 4,000m2 within the Georges Besse II science park. This state-of-the-art ISO 14001 facility is accredited for all analytical programs developed, GLP-certified and approved by the French Ministries of Health and the Environment.
Recently, the laboratory's entire analytical equipment (LC-MS/MS) was renewed; Phytocontrol invested over 2 million euros in 2018, in this cutting-edge technology.
" With this expansion, we have a greater capacity for analysis; moreover, thanks to our constant drive for innovation, we are constantly reinforcing and adapting our historical know-how and our core business. "comments Eric Capodanno, Phytocontrol's Scientific Director.
70 institutional guests and historical partners attended the event
The laboratory extension was inaugurated under the aegis of Carole Delga, President of the Occitanie Region, Yvan Lachaud, President of Nîmes Métropole and all Phytocontrol's financial, institutional and industrial partners.
"We are proud to welcome to our premises the partners who have supported us from the outset, to show them our latest-generation facilities, and to share with them our enthusiasm and plans for the future. "said Mikaël Bresson, President of Phytocontrol Group.
Indeed, it was an opportunity to recall Phytocontrol's loyalty to the Gard region, and in particular to the city of Nîmes, where the laboratory has always been based, and where it intends to expand: by 2021, Phytocontrol aims to create a major European center of expertise in food authenticity in the Gard region.
In the even nearer future, the group plans to set up a BTS training course in control and analysis, in collaboration with the Occitanie Region, the Rectorat, the CCI du Gard, Nîmes Métropole and the laboratories of the major industries in Gard, in order to fill the fifty or so positions opened up each year, in particular as part of the development of the hydrology department involved in regional and national monitoring plans.
