Testing laboratory completes major upgrade

An Australian laboratory focused on safeguarding the environment, critical industries and public health has unveiled a major transformational upgrade, said to place it at the forefront of Australian testing infrastructure.

For more than 40 years, ALS has provided comprehensive testing solutions to clients in a wide range of industries all over the world. The company’s new base in Smithfield, in Greater Western Sydney, remakes a 20-year-old facility that had reached its operational limits, delivering a state-of-the-art environment within its old walls — along with a new research and development facility.

The project expands the former facility from 1674 to 4010 m², increasing ALS’s capability and underpinning the operations of sectors ranging from contaminated land to mining and utilities. ALS’s General Manager, Environmental, Australia & New Zealand, Michael Heery, said the futureproofed facility’s research and development laboratory would further support proactive innovation as regulatory requirements evolve and analytical technologies advance.

“Laboratories rarely make headlines — yet every safe redevelopment, every compliant water system, every remediated site depends on their output,” he said.

“The redevelopment of our Smithfield facility in Sydney marks a strategic reinvestment in one of our highest-performing laboratories globally. It repositions Smithfield as a true national hub: expanding capacity, consolidating operations and futureproofing critical testing infrastructure for decades to come.

“In practical terms, that means safer infrastructure, cleaner waterways and stronger compliance outcomes for industry.”

The transformation was delivered by specialist builder Connected, which navigated a live environment throughout construction. With the laboratory remaining fully operational through the 12-month build, Connected worked from the rear of the facility forward, separating build work with fire-rated partitions to maintain live operations. This included the replacement of the roof and recycling of approximately 10,000 m² of roofing material.

Major sustainability upgrades by Connected include rooftop solar, which will deliver approximately $25,000 in annual electricity savings, and upgraded insulation to improve thermal performance. Both measures reduce operational carbon intensity while lowering long-term running costs, a critical consideration in energy-intensive laboratory environments.

Connected General Manager Emma Bedford said the project took over 88,000 man-hours to deliver and involved extensive planning to avoid disrupting lab operations and stay on budget. Connected held 38 design workshops and engaged with 21 consultants and more than 120 trade contributors to create the build plan.

“Our process redefines Early Contractor Involvement (ECI), turning chaos into clarity and reducing risk before it becomes expensive,” she said.

“Uncertainty was reduced at every milestone through progressive budgeting, with a fixed lump-sum contract secured under a zero-variation framework. Most builders would baulk at this, but our ECI process is so extensive that it enables us to work with confidence.

“By strengthening hub capacity, embedding sustainability and futureproofing national testing capability, the transformed ALS facility reinforces a critical layer of Australia’s environmental and industrial safety framework.”

ALS’s new facility is now fully operational, supporting Australia’s testing requirements across the environmental, water and mining industries.

Images: Supplied