Swiss Quality Testing Services is the most comprehensive laboratory service provider in Switzerland. Our testing services encompass food, packaging, chemicals, do-it-yourself products and consumer goods such as textiles and toys.
SQTS is a highly respected and extremely well-connected service laboratory based in Switzerland. Due to our many years of experience, we are also represented in various national and international committees, where we actively and expertly contribute our knowledge as part of different working groups and memberships. A list of our network partners can be found further down this page.
We believe that transparency, honesty and open exchange are crucial.
Our customers appreciate our good understanding of their needs and the targeted advice we provide.
Expert consulting services in all areas of quality management, including inspections and audits, complement our services and ensure we can optimally serve your needs.
SQTS have been members of SGLWT for many years.
Within the AOAC, SQTS employees are actively involved in various working groups (pesticides, allergens, mycotoxins). Our customers benefit directly from the further development of analytical methods in these areas.
Active membership in the association guarantees that we remain continuously up to date in the field of toy safety.
Dr Thomas Gude (Deputy Head of SQTS) serves on the SFC Board of Directors.
Various employees are involved in the development of standards within the SNV. This is particularly the case in the areas of food, textiles, safety and hygiene requirements, consumer goods in contact with food and nanotechnology.
The Migros laboratories are founded. Dr Paul Lanz expands the food laboratory on a scientific basis. The young chemist Fritz Klay sets up a small laboratory for testing the quality of goods and performs pioneering work as a close associate of Gottlieb Duttweiler.
The projects increase in size, but space is becoming limited. Fritz Klay expands the laboratory at the company headquarters on Limmatplatz. Gottlieb Duttweiler starts thinking about making provisions due to impending war. Foodstuffs are to be stored in bomb-proof underwater tanks. The central laboratory supervises corresponding tests.
“We serve as a consumer custodian, guaranteeing the high-quality testing of any material through tasting and laboratory testing.” Gottlieb Duttweiler
The tasks undertaken by the central laboratory continue to increase: the textile laboratory is expanded and bacteriological testing is intensified. The central laboratory, which now employs 14 people, is supplemented by a new test facility for consumer goods quality control.
The meat laboratory is founded as Micarna's company laboratory in Courtepin. Dr Th. Schmidhofer takes over the management the facility.
The key member of the founding generation, Fritz Klay, hands over the baton to Dr Artur Blumenthal, who becomes the new head of the central laboratory. New laboratory premises are built on Limmatstrasse.
The technical laboratory moves into new premises in Volketswil. A pesticide laboratory is set up in the central laboratory.
The meat laboratory is placed under the management of the central laboratory.
Dr. Reto Battaglia takes over the management of all MGB laboratories.
June: The administrative delegation agrees in principle to an expansion to approximately 1,000 square metres and an increase in the number of employees from 84 to 116 (spread over the following 5 years). The new mission statement for MGB laboratories is approved.
A new working group is established at the Courtepin meat laboratory for the analysis of veterinary drug residues in meat.
The first industrial hygienist is appointed to inspect food processing plants.
The laboratories celebrate their 60th anniversary. Approximately 1,300 square metres of laboratory space is rented in the Exlibris building in Dietikon and converted for the Textile Technology department.
Control of veterinary drug residues is showing success, but needs to be further intensified based on the findings.
Courtepin becomes one of the first laboratories in Switzerland to be accredited (STS 038).
Expansion work on the laboratory in Courtepin will provide additional space for molecular-biological tests. (GMO and animal species) will be provided.
All laboratories under the Laboratories Directorate (Meat Laboratory, Grain Technology Department, Non Food Laboratory, Central Laboratory) are now accredited by the Federal Office of Metrology and are allowed to use the “Swiss Testing” logo.
Together with the MGB office operated in Hong Kong, quality assurance organisations in the Far East are selected to perform quality assurance on the spot before shipment in accordance with laboratory standards and regulations.
As a new activity in non-food, the inspection of consumer electronic goods is introduced. A Chinese quality expert is employed in the Hong Kong office to supervise inspections by third-party companies in accordance with laboratory guidelines and to build up the company's own team of inspectors.
... is the beginning of a new era for the laboratories. The Migros_Laboratories were transformed into a profit centre. The laboratories are renamed “Scientific Services Migros” during this process.
A new laboratory is built and occupied in the Ex Libris building in Dietikon according to the latest technical standards. In order to fully utilise the laboratories, it is decided to offer the laboratory services to third parties as well.
In order to be able to implement this successfully, a small department is set up to take care of the acquisition of new customers.
Orders from third-party customers are increasing. The expansion of services to additional markets led to the name change SQTS-Swiss Quality Testing Services.
During this time, a logo for the new name is created.
During the large-scale introduction of BSE controls, these analytics are set up in the meat laboratory.
The customer service area is further expanded and a marketing and sales department is established. SQTS services are offered in an increasingly structured and professional manner. An experienced customer consultant is hired for the hygiene, meat, general food and non-food areas to look after customers and advise them on all quality assurance issues.
SQTS_online: This flexible alternative for providing test results is introduced. In addition to delivery as a pdf file via email, this software also enables results to be further processed in a flexible way (e.g. statistical evaluations).
A sample collection service is provided free of charge to our customers. In addition, a daily sample transport service is set up between Dietikon and Courtepin, ensuring samples are delivered fast and in refrigerated conditions.
Migration-related substances are increasingly becoming the focus of analytics. In the coming years, services (e.g. consulting, analytics) in the field of “Food Contact Materials” and the foodstuffs contained within them will play an increasingly important role.
Peggy Schuhmann, an employee in the laboratories since 1995, takes over as head of SQTS for both sites. Dr. Battaglia retires.
SQTS converts its quality management system to a process-oriented system. As a result, the Courtepin and Dietikon sites are merged under one accreditation. In the future, there will be only one accreditation number (STS 038) for both sites.
Conformity checks with regard to RoHs are becoming increasingly important due to the new legal situation. A new, mobile X-ray fluorescence analyser expands our testing portfolio for the non-food sector.
Since its foundation in the autumn of 2007, the Joint Industry Group (JIG) of the Swiss Packaging Institute SVI has evolved into an important vehicle for increasing the safety of food packaging. The central task of JIG is to improve the way conformity work interconnects within the manufacturing chain. JIG develops a checklist for compliance work when dealing with Food Contact Materials (FCM). JIG also organises further training on a regular basis.
April 22/23: a devastating fire briefly immobilise the Trace Analysis division in Dietikon. Due to the outstanding efforts of all company employees, suppliers and partner laboratories, laboratory operations can be fully restored within six months.
The first MAS study programme in Food Safety Management starts in Switzerland. SQTS is involved in the development of the course, provides a lecturer and supports two employees who are registered on the course.
SQTS launches a brand new look with its revamped logo and freshly designed website.
Opening of an office under SQTS management in Tirupur (India). FRI inspectors (Final Random Inspections) are successfully recruited.
A decision is made to further expand due to increased requirements from our existing supplier AAC Infotray AG.
SQTS passes the accreditation audit according to the revised ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard.
Approval for investments for the construction of the two new SQTS laboratory sites in Dietikon (Canton of Zurich) and St. Aubin (Canton of Fribourg). Completion is planned for 2023.
Today, we are the most comprehensive laboratory service provider in Switzerland.
The intuitive SQTS web portal is launched with great success. It was developed with many functionalities with our customers and aligned to their needs. From now on, our customers can pre-register their orders, filter results, download reports and view the status of their invoices.
