Drug and alcohol testing firm celebrates record year

David Thomas

Alcohol and drug testing firm AlphaBiolabs is celebrating a record year after revenues rose 16 per cent to £4.2m.

The company’s growth was fuelled by increased demand for its workplace drug and alcohol testing services.
The firm secured a number of significant contracts in the transport, manufacturing and local government sectors.

Other highlights of the year to March 31 included expanding into Ireland with the launch of a dedicated website and an office in Dublin.

The company also introduced the SCRAM Continuous Alcohol Monitoring system, which tests for the presence of consumed alcohol in perspiration every 30 minutes via the wearing of an ankle bracelet.

It is an additional way for local authorities, the courts and child protection agencies to obtain information.

AlphaBiolabs, was set up in 2004, carries out DNA and drug and alcohol testing for individuals, businesses, solicitors, social services, the media and universities.

The company, which carries out the DNA tests for ITV’s The Jeremy Kyle Show, has its headquarters and laboratory in Warrington.

It has 45 staff and a network of sample collectors around the country.

It operates nine walk-in centres around the country which provide access to the company’s testing services and convenient sites for sample collections.

AlphaBiolabs’ founder and managing director David Thomas said the company is gaining from continued investment to expand its services, workforce and laboratory equipment.

He added: “We are delighted to achieve our highest-ever annual sales.

“We are really seeing the benefits of our investment in workplace testing, SCRAM CAM and other areas of the business.

“This gives us great confidence for the future and we are aiming to double in size over the next three years, by further expanding our range of services in the UK and overseas, and by developing our network of sample collectors and walk-in centres.”

It was the first UKAS ISO 17025 accredited laboratory to introduce a next-day DNA testing service, which helped earn AlphaBiolabs a Queen’s Award for Innovation in 2016.

The laboratory has also developed state-of-the-art techniques to provide an accurate historical record of drug or alcohol abuse. Hair strands, oral fluids, urine and fingernails can all be tested.

It also offers continuous alcohol monitoring with its SCRAM CAM alcohol-testing bracelet.

AlphaBiolabs operates nine walk-in centres across the UK which offer access to its testing services and convenient sites for sample collections.

They are in north and south London, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Preston and Warrington.

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