Speaking ahead of the opening, Jens Lukazcik, ICA Bremen Director said: “Leadership can not only be demonstrated by words, but by innovative action. As the leading institution for HVI testing it is our obligation to ensure that we provide the highest standards possible. We are very proud that this new lab will, once again, raise the bar and set another new level of excellence in HVI testing".

Kai Hughes, ICA Bremen’s Managing Director adds: “By expanding and improving the existing ICA Bremen laboratory, we are better equipped to deal with the increasing testing and research requests we have been receiving. We are confident that the laboratory now has everything it needs to allow us to offer an even better service to the cotton and textile industry.”

Improvements to the laboratory include the upgrading of facilities for pre-conditioning and conditioning of samples, improved capability to handle large orders and bigger volumes of samples and the capacity for instrument testing and manual classing to be performed in close proximity. The added space will allow for even more testing equipment in the future. The new laboratory, which is operated in cooperation between ICA Bremen and the Bremen Fibre Institute (FIBRE), will include important instruments for cotton testing, such as HVI testing, AFIS testing, stickiness testing and gravimetric trash content determination, as well as testing equipment for other natural fibres, such as wool and flax/hemp. The ICA Bremen collection of world cotton standards will continue to be held in a separate room nearby.

For more information on ICA Bremen and its services, please visit www.ica-bremen.org.