IPS Announcements

The 2013 Fiber Analysis Course has been announced for June 17-21st.

Click here to view course information and download a registration form.

The latest IPS E-Newsletter (January 2013)  has been published. Read about our food packaging and heavy metals analysis capabilities.

View the IPS E-Newsletter Archive to subscribe to our E-Newsletter and access information from past Newsletters.

IPS Testing Experts has added to its extensive list of test services for personal care and feminine care products with the addition of a syngyna test device used to evaluate tampons. The syngyna device is used to evaluate tampons for absorbency and compliance with CFR – Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 Section 801.430 Labeling for Menstrual Tampons.

 IPS Testing is proud to announce its membership with INDA.

As the leading global association of the nonwoven fabrics industry, INDA is the premier source for education, market leading data, global forecasts, testing standards, and trend reports which provides members the information to better plan and execute their business.

Learn more about INDA

IPS Testing, the Fox Cities-based independent physical and analytical testing laboratory, announced today its Nov. 2 groundbreaking plans for a 4,000 square-foot addition to its headquarters facility at 3211 E. Capitol Dr. in Appleton.

The project will get into full swing following Groundbreaking Ceremonies at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 2, as key IPS principals cast the first shovels into the ground along with representatives of building owner and developer, Romenesko Developments, Inc.

According to Bruce Shafer, president of IPS Testing, the expansion comes in answer to the 60 percent increase in business that IPS has experienced over the last three years among its existing clients and a new customer base, along with company plans to expand into more testing areas, including product flushability and toy safety tests. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year, giving IPS 20 percent more physical testing and warehouse space.

Additional plans for the new space include a larger paper and pulp testing laboratory, a service that IPS has grown significantly in terms of multi-purpose testing, which includes tests for absorption, aging, brightness, color and repulpability.

The company will also enlarge its parking lot to better accommodate customers visiting the Appleton facility and its growing staff.

The IPS Test Experts are displaying at booth N5755 at PackExpo.  This is the largest processing and packaging show in the world. It is being held in McCormick Place in Chicago.

The latest IPS E-Newsletter (October 2012)  has been published. Read about recent FTC Green Guidelines, and a Case Study involving a paper defect.

View the IPS E-Newsletter Archive to access information from past Newsletters.

IPS Testing is now ISO 17025 accredited for ICP analysis of heavy metals and GC-MS analysis of phthlates and adds toy testing to their list of services.

Bruce Shafer, the President of IPS gave the following background on why IPS sought ISO 17055 Accreditation.  “For years IPS has been providing analytical services to the paper, nonwovens, consumer products, and packaging industries.  Much of this work revolved around Research and Development and defect analysis.  We decided to pursue ISO accreditation when we saw a significant increase in requests pertaining to regulatory testing.  Industry is facing a number of regulatory requirements ranging from CONEG to Toy Safety as well as a significant amount of regulation pertaining to food packaging.  At first we were going to pursue ISO 9001 accreditation which is a general accreditation pertaining good quality management practices.  We then decided to pursue ISO 17025 accreditation which holds the additional responsibility to show proficiency with specific methods and equipment, which in our case includes heavy metals and organics analysis.” 

“As regulation continually increases, it has touched the paper industry in unforeseen ways.  Our traditional client base does not make toys, but they may make the stickers which are put on plastic toys.  These stickers need to be tested to assure that they are safe if a child were to remove and ingest them.”

“Aside from regulatory compliance testing, the addition of heavy metals and organics analytical services has allowed IPS to work with clients to monitor their process from raw materials to finished goods.  The testing of vendors or raw materials has become a significant part of our business as we have watched our clients move to global sourcing.”

Integrated Paper Services, Inc. (IPS), the Appleton based independent testing laboratory, has released a new price list for 2012. IPS has added a number of new service offerings including: Heavy Metals analysis by ICP; Semi-volatiles and volatiles analysis by GCMS.  Additionally, a wider range of nonwovens testing is now being offered including Flushability Testing.  Other regulatory and product stewardship services are also listed.

IPS Testing has received approval from the Corrugated Packaging Alliance to perform testing protocol within the Voluntary Standard for Repulping and Recycling Corrugated Fiberboard. This authorization comes after successful audits of the IPS testing lab facilities and the pulping and papermaking plant of its subcontractor partner, the University of Wisconsin-Steven Point’s Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology (WIST).

The Voluntary Standard testing protocol will be followed by IPS when certifying the repulpability and recyclability of wax alternatives for corrugated products that have been treated to improve performance when water and water vapor are present.

A recent study shows the use of recyclable wax alternatives for packaging is on the rise with a 30 percent increase in 2010. As of July 2011, 38 wax alternatives have been registered with the Fibre Box Association (FBA) after passing certification testing.

IPS and WIST join three other testing laboratories in the North American paper industry that have received approval to perform the Voluntary Standard protocol. These labs include NC State University, Department of Wood & Paper Science, in Raleigh, North Carolina; Western Michigan University Pilot Plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan; and Centre Specialise en Pates et Papiers (CSPP) in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada.

Dwight Schmidt, executive director of the Corrugated Packaging Alliance and president of the FBA explains, “The addition of a fourth testing lab will help move certifications forward at a time when the use of recyclable wax alternatives is growing dramatically.”

Based in Appleton, Wis., IPS Testing serves as an independent testing laboratory for many industries, including: paper, pulp, corrugated and print materials; nonwovens and consumer products; medical supplies; personal care and absorbent products; and allied industries. The IPS Testing laboratory combines physical and analytical testing and interpretive data analysis to offer testing services to  help improve and ensure the quality of products. For more information, contact Chris Reitmeyer at 920-749-3040, ext. 119, or visit www.ipstesting.com

 IPS Testing’s lab can provide companies with the knowledge of what is in their products. This ensures that products are meeting specifications that are not in violation of the Lacey Act. By simply submitting samples to IPS Testing, companies can pre-screen materials before they hit the market. IPS is able to identify what fiber species are present and report the results to the company.  To read the full press release Click here.

There also has been a lot of media attention in paper products that have been found to have Mixed Tropical Hardwoods (MTH) in them.  To learn more about MTH FAQs click here.

Tom Kremer, a Technical Advisor in our Microscopy Group, gave a presentation about the methods and benefits of staining for microscopy in the consumer products industry. View the presentation >>

IPS is proud to announce the recent hiring of Chris Reitmeyer to its newly established sales engineer position... More

The October edition of our Nonwovens E-newsletter is now available. Have an questions or suggestions? E-mail customerservice@ipstesting.com.

Issues of our August E-newsletter are now available. View our the August 2010 Nonwovens or the August 2010 Paper and Pulp issues today!

Two of our microscopists, Walter Rantanen and Tom Kremer, presented at Inter/Micro's 50th anniversary conference in Chicago about paper and consumer product microscopy... More

Each month we will be adding one or two new test method videos to give you inside-access to behind-the-scenes footage at the IPS Testing Experts laboratory. Each video shows a test method we offer and includes a write-up for the related videos to help you understand "what this means" in terms of physical testing for the paper, pulp, health care, and allied industries.

Videos are available on our Website in the Video and Image Gallary section, in our E-newsletters, and on our YouTube channel.

We've released our July E-newsletters! Preview our Paper/Pulp or Nonwovens issue today.

IPS now has an Online News Room available on its Web site. All news releases, company updates, fact sheets, and industry news will be shared in this new feature.

IPS released its first ever E-newsletter that available to anyone who wishes to receive IPS and industry news and information updates.

Preview June 2010's E-newsletter or subscribe below.

Sign up for the IPS e-newsletter

IPS will release a free monthly e-newsletter within the next few months that available to anyone who wishes to receive IPS and industry news and information updates. To subscribe, click on button below.

Sign up for the IPS e-newsletter

We are pleased to recommend A.D. Jezzi & Associates, LLC as a consulting firm with expertise in the Nonwovens and Absorbent Product field.  The company is a management and technical consulting company in the area of New Product Development specializing in: Baby Diapers, Personal Care Absorbent Products such as Adult Incontinence, Feminine Hygiene, Baby Wipes; Non-Woven Technology and their End-Products; and Consumer Tissue and Towel.

For many years IPS has been providing Nonwoven materials testing for several clients.  We are now pleased to be able to offer a wide range of nonwovens testing to all of our clients.  We have experience in consumer products containing nonwoven materials such as diapers, training pants, surgical gowns and drapes, wiping products and filters.  Combining our knowledge of cellulose based fibers as well as polymer based fibers.  Additionally, IPS can help support patent claims with capabilities like Image Analysis.