10 Packaging Testing Labs and Services

Package testing is a vital component to every supply chain. Ensuring your business’s packaging is up to specifications avoids costly product damage, legal situations and poor user experiences. Packaging testing identifies opportunities in the following areas:

1. Savings on packaging costs
2. Performance of packaging materials in realistic environmental conditions and transportation scenarios
3. Quality control insights
4. Scalability of packaging
5. Compliance issues, such as certifications, specifications and regulations

The following list of 10 packaging testing laboratories includes small and large labs that span the globe. Some have single locations in busy metropolitan areas, while others maintain multiple locations in multiple countries.

This list includes a brief history, followed by certifications, specialties and capabilities.

The list: Package testing labs

The package testing labs below are presented in alphabetical order.

Advanced Packaging Technology Labs, Inc. (APTL)

advanced-labs.com

Request a quote online using their fill form.

(847) 520-4243

Advanced Packaging Technology Labs (APTL, as they refer to themselves) was founded in 1993 and is based in Illinois. APTL follows a three-phase approach to package testing that starts with:

1. Setting expectations
2. Measurement 
3. Documentation

Certifications and compliances: 

• Member of Amazon Packaging Technology Laboratories and Amazon Support and Supplier Network
• ISTA lab certification
• ISO
• ASTM
• CEN
• TAPPI
• NMFTA CCSB lab certification

Specialties: 

APTL works with companies that specialize in corrugated, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, plastics, retail and commerce, consumer goods and military products.

Capabilities: 

APTL has a wide variety of testing capabilities, including vibration tables, compression tables, shock tables, drop testers and climate chambers that simulate environmental conditions.

• ISTA 6-Amazon APASS testing
• Shock testing
• Vibration testing
• Medical package validation testing

Billerud

https://www.billerud.com

Request a quote online using their fill form.

+46 8 553 335 00

Billerud is an industry leader in renewable packaging materials and solutions, and provides innovative and sustainable packaging solutions to a diverse array of brands. The company is Amazon APASS certified for materials design. In addition, Billerud provides corrugated packaging testing for its brand partners in the following locations: 

Portland, Oregon

Grüvon, Sweden

Shenzhen, China

Certifications and compliances: 

Billerud has made environmental work a central part of their organization. All of the company’s production units have:

• ISO 14001 certification
• FSC Chain of Custody
• PEFC

Billerud has varying certifications and regulatory compliances in the following areas:

• Beetham
• Billerud China Limited
• Billerud USA LLC
• Frövi/Rockhammar
• Gävle
• Gruvön
• Karlsborg
• Pietarsaari
• Skärblacka

Specialties: 

Billerud specializes in the following:

• Sustainability
• Packaging design
• Package engineering
• Packaging testing
• Packaging materials expertise
• Managed packaging
• Forestry

Capabilities:

Billerud labs can test for package vibration and shock, drop and incline impact. They have a walk-in environmental chamber to test a variety of conditions. Their other capabilities include:

• Plastic container testing
• Durability testing
• Package inspection
• Shipping simulations

Element

element.com/other-services/container-and-package-testing

U.S. (888) 786-7555

Germany +49 800-000-5137

UK and globally +44 (0) 20-3744-9221

Element has 188 laboratories around the world, and they perform a large range of product testing, in addition to package testing services. They have locations in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa and Australia.

Though their corporate origins date back to the 1800s, Element is one of the newer package testing companies on our list. This company was originally called Stork MaterialsTechnology, and they adopted the Element brand in 2011.

Certifications and compliances: 

• ISTA and military standard packaging
• ASTM D4169
• ASTM D6551/D6551M
• ASTM C165
• FED-STD-101C
• 3-A sanitary dairy testing

Specialties: 

Element serves companies in aerospace, consumer goods, defense, environmental services, transportation, oil and gas, infrastructure, medical devices, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, telecommunications and more.

Capabilities:

Element can test for package vibration and shock, drop and incline impact. They have a walk-in environmental chamber to test a variety of conditions. Their other capabilities include:

• Plastic container testing
• Durability testing
• Package inspection
• Shipping simulations

Eurofins MET Labs

metlabs.com/services/environmental-simulation-testing/package-testing/

Complete a request for information form on their website.

MET Labs was founded in 1959 in Baltimore, Maryland, where it still maintains its headquarters. This packaging testing lab specializes in UL electrical products testing, approvals and certifications. They perform product testing and package testing. They provide single-source laboratories, meaning all testing is done in one location, which helps them turn around your projects quickly.

Certifications and compliances: 

• ISTA
• 6-Amazon
• ASTM
• CFR 
• 6-Samsclub

Specialties: 

Industries Eurofins lists on their website for package testing include aerospace and military, automotive, power tools and appliances.

Capabilities: 

In addition to package testing, Eurofins can perform product testing for flames, environmental simulations, ingress protection, fungus, hazardous location, product safety, drop and accelerated stress.

Intertek

intertek.com/packaging/testing/

(561) 989-7294

web.cp-amer@intertek.com

Intertek is a global organization that offers quality assurance, testing, inspection and certification services. Package testing services is one of the many ways they test quality in products. They operate in 1,000 locations in more than 100 countries. It was founded in 1880 as Electrical Testing Laboratories.

Certifications and compliances: 

ISTA

Specialties: 

Intertek lists the following industries on its website: chemicals, construction and engineering, energy and commodities, food, healthcare, government, trade, consumer products, retail and transportation.

Capabilities: 

Intertek provides the following types of package testing: materials, chemical, packaging services, physical and mechanical properties, food contact, industrial film packaging, Gelbo flex, hot tack, polyethylene terephthalate and recycled PET packaging, shrink film, stretch-wrap film packaging, and film and flexible packaging materials testing.

Mesa Labs

https://mesalabs.com/mesa-labs-services/ 

Canada (866) 421-8367

U.S. (877) 746-8883

Mesa Labs is located in Denver, Colorado and operates in a number of services and products to manufacturers in the medical, industrial, pharmaceutical and food industries. They also offer cold-chain packaging solutions, package design and testing services.

Certifications and compliances: 

• ISTA
• Component qualifications (CQ)
• Design qualifications (DQ)
• Operational qualifications (OQ) 
• Performance qualifications (PQ)

Specialties: 

Mesa Labs specializes in cold-chain packaging testing.

Capabilities: 

Food and beverage, pharmaceutical

Micom Inc. Laboratories

micomlab.com/micom-test-categories/package-testing/

(888) 996-4266

info@micomlab.com

Since 1999, Micom Inc. Laboratories has offered an array of package testing services, from a single box to full pallets and materials testing on components. They serve companies based in the United States and Canada. It is based in Montreal, Quebec.

Certifications and compliances: 

• ISTA
• Amazon Packaging Support and Supplier Network member
• TAPPI certifications or capabilities
• ISO 17025 compliant
• Accredited by the World Health Organization and the Scientific Equipment and Furniture Association

Specialties: 

Micom Inc. Laboratories lists several industries on their website, including retail, home goods, furniture, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, industrial, electronics and automotive industries.

Capabilities: 

Micom Inc. Laboratories features the following testing capabilities: 

• ISTA testing and certification
• CAN/CGSB 43.150, ASTM package testing
• Cold-chain testing
• TP 14850
• Sustainable packaging
• Medical device package testing 
• TAPPI testing

They perform vibration, drop, mechanical shaker, compression, climate, altitude, and forklift movement testing. Test types include accelerated aging, corrosion, environment, material, package and UV.

North American Testing Services

test-labs.com/news.htm

(800) 524-0256

INFO@TEST-LABS.COM

NATS (North American Testing Services) is located in Mississauga, Ontario, and provides package testing services for companies in Canada and the United States. They have a simulation and transportation lab to test products throughout the supply chain.

Certifications and compliances: 

• ISTA
• ASTM
• TAPPI 
• United Nations certified

Specialties: 

NATS is one of the four testing labs approved by the retailer Sears.

Capabilities: 

NATS performs package testing for containerboard, combined board, pre-shipment and dangerous goods. They test for environmental conditions, shaking and jostling, stacking and dropping. Additionally, they measure glue adhesion, label ink rub, perforation, burst strength and more.

North American Container Corp. 

nacontainer.com/designLab.asp

Contact through their website.

North American Container Corp. (NACC) was founded in 1967 and provides packaging solutions (wood, corrugated crates, and steel), but also offers a package testing lab in Atlanta, Georgia.

Certifications and compliances: 

• ASTM
• Standard ISTA testing

Specialties: 

NACC does not specify industries on their website.

Capabilities: 

NACC performs compression testing, incline and impact testing, rotary motion and vibration testing for products up to 50 pounds.

Smithers

smithers.com/services/testing/test-capabilities/package-testing

North America (330) 762-7441

Europe +44 (0) 1372 802000

Asia Pacific +86 512 6253 5569

Complete their request for information form for more information.

Smithers was founded in 1925 and is headquartered in Akron, Ohio. They have 14 facilities in North America, Europe and Asia. Smithers provides a range of services to the manufacturing, retail and energy industries in addition to its package testing services, which provide support for product manufacturers and packaging providers through the entire supply chain.

Certifications and compliances: 

• Their US, UK and China laboratories are all ISO 17025-2005 certified
• FDA
• VCA
• ISTA
• NHTSA
• Their testing labs operate under ISO 9001
• Their pharmaceutical division is CLIA certified and GCP and GLP compliant 
• ANAB accredited

Specialties: 

Smithers lists industry experience in automotive, consumer products, ecommerce, food and beverage, medical device and pharmaceutical packaging.

Capabilities: 

Their capabilities include materials testing for quality, durability and international standards, material comparisons,food industry regulation support. They perform lab-based package testing and simulations, as well as field tests.

Tektronix 

tek.com/testing-services/package-testing

(877) 206-1539

Get a quote online by completing this request for information form.

Tektronix was founded in 1946 and specialises in measurement insights and manufacturing devices for testing and measuring, like oscilloscopes. They have three package testing labs in the United States: Massachusetts, New Jersey and Illinois.

Certifications and compliances: 

• ISTA certified laboratory
• ISO 17025 certification
• ISO 9001 registered, ISO/IEC 17025 accredited
• ASTM
• IEC 68-2
• GR-63
• RTCA/DO-160
• Amazon Packaging Support and Supplier Network member
• DLA suitability for MIL STD (military standards) 202750, 810 and 882

Specialties: 

Tektronix offers package testing services for medical device manufacturers, consumer goods manufacturers, FDA-regulated manufacturers, ecommerce companies and defense and aerospace companies.

Capabilities: 

They perform HALT and HASS testing, which stand for Highly Accelerated Life Testing and Highly Accelerated Stress Screening. Tektronix can simulate shipping, point of purchase displays and pallets, and list many types of package testing:

• ASTM performance
• Bounce
• Compression (machine and dead weight)
• Drop
• Vehicle simulation
• Fragility
• Storage
• Package integrity
• Shelf life and accelerated aging
• Thermal shipping validation
• Label rub and peel
•  Stacking
• Tensile
• Environmental conditions
• Vibration

Need help with packaging testing?

Choosing a package testing provider can be overwhelming. To make sure the testers’ capabilities align with the needs of your organization, you will need to discuss your situation with a packaging professional.  Contact our packaging experts to learn more about managed packaging, sustainability and how Billerud can help you with packaging testing.