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Alturas to expand in Moscow

By Omie Drawhorn, Daily News staff writer
Saturday, September 8, 2007

Alturas Analytics, Inc. was begun in a garage, but Thursday ground was broken for a 10,000 square-foot, $1.5 million facility in Alturas Technology Park.

The business, which provides sample analyses for the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, has been in the technology park since 2000, operating in the same building as Anatek. It has since outgrown that facility.

"We have been growing, acquiring new equipment and we need different kinds of security-type things for the pharmaceutical (side)," said Robin Woods, co-owner of Alturas Analytics.

Latah Economic Development Council Executive Director Margaret Howlett said a lot of larger pharmaceutical companies have started to outsource some of their lab testing, which is bringing in more business for Alturas Analytics.

Alturas Analytics "has taken a niche market and gone in and built the business up, doubling the size of the facility," she said.

Woods said the staff likely will increase from 16 to 19 or 20 in the first year after its new facility is completed.

People in the pharmaceutical areas of south San Francisco, San Diego and Seattle have tried to recruit Alturas Analytics to their respective areas, but in the end, Woods said Moscow was the best place for the business.

"It's a good business climate for us," Woods said. "Idaho is a good state to have a business in, and it's great for us to be in Moscow, living close to the labs so we can check on things in the middle of the night."

She said the University of Idaho and Washington State University also provide a pool of qualified employees to hire from.

"In San Francisco it's like musical chairs with people switching employees all the time; here you find people who stay a while," Woods said.

She said being part of Alturas Technology Park, which was formed in 1996 as a center for businesses specializing in research and advanced technology, also is a good thing, and the new facility will literally move in next door to the old facility.

"We got a grant to put in fiber optics in there and with Fed Ex we can communicate faster via the Internet," she said.

Woods said the new facility will be a "green" building, with bike racks and parking for electric cars.

"I would like to encourage more science and tech transfers out of the UI a little more," she said.

Woods said she attended the Idaho Science and Technology Council last week and learned that for every science and technology job, four or five other jobs come out of that, which is higher than any other industry.

Howlett said the fact that Alturas will be hiring more people with the expansion is a positive for Moscow.

"Those are jobs that are very good for the community," she said. "They are good-paying jobs and as more people begin to look at that, Alturas can do business here. Even customers based primarily in Seattle or San Francisco can outsource those things to a community such as Moscow and still do good business."

She said the park in general has been a success.

"It started out very slow but we just finished the new phase; in recent years we really started to step up a little," she said.

Two lots in the second phase already have sold, with Alturas Analytics building a facility there, along with EcoAnalysts.

Howlett said the construction timeline is estimated at about six months.

Omie Drawhorn can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 238, or by e-mail at odrawhorn@dnews.com.

 

Alturas Analytics Ranks #1

Alturas Analytics was recently ranked #1 CRO for providing LC/MS/MS services to one of our large pharma clients. The client ranked CRO’s from around the world and Alturas Analytics was ranked #1 for the following reasons: (in order of importance)

1. Responsiveness
2. Turn around time
3. Cost

A quote from one of our the clients:

“We like that we can contact Alturas Analytics and talk with the scientist in charge of the project to get an immediate update.”

Our staff have the experience and flexibility to meet your study needs. Our highly-trained staff utilize the latest technology including Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX mass spectrometers. Alturas Analytics has earned a reputation as a “problem solver” for handling challenging projects.

Alturas Continues to Grow with New Expansion:
Since our inception in 2000, Alturas has continued to show controlled growth by adding new clients as well as new projects from existing clients. We expect to be moving into our new, expanded laboratory space 3rd Q of 2007! We look forward to our continued success as we add more staff and systems to better serve our clients.

Alturas Analytics a Featured Company of Idaho:
Alturas Analytics was recently the featured company selected by the the Idaho Department of Commerce and Labor in the Office of Science and Technology. Idaho’s technology industry is recognized nationally and internationally for its tech firms and research capabilities. A culture of entrepreneurialism and independent thinkers have capitalized on a welcoming business climate, low utility costs and a high quality of life. Alturas Analytics is glad to be part of Idaho’s technology sector. For more information please visit, Idaho‘s Newest Technology Sector: The Biosciences (PDF 956kb)