The PTS laboratory in Kawerau, New Zealand has a 25-year history of testing wood-based and agricultural products for a variety of uses, including biofuels. It operates 365 days a year and is open to enquiries from across the primary industry for the services it provides.

PTS currently tests for:

• Moisture content (dry matter)
• (Particle) size (classification)
• Ash content
• Bulk and basic density
• Calorific value

Tests are regularly carried out on woodchips, wood residues and hog fuel, wood discs (from logs), increment cores (from standing trees), silage and grass.

The same tests apply to other biofuels, such as briquettes and pellets, additional agricultural feedstocks such as hay and a broad range of horticultural products such as blueberries, avocadoes and kiwifruit.

PTS also runs a Quality Management System (QMS) for major woodchip providers and users. It receives samples from across New Zealand and also carries out sampling services for clients. As an independent laboratory, PTS is ideally placed to perform testing for verification and quality control purposes e.g., for new and existing biofuel producers.

Further test methods are being developed to allow a more complete service in the areas of diagnostic testing. Please get in touch with any queries.

Pentarch Logistics – Burnie, Tasmania

Pentarch is accredited to ISO 17025:2017 – General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories – Manufactured Goods with the service being “material performance evaluation of paper and paper products”.

• Tests conducted by Pentarch that are covered by this accreditation include:
• Moisture Content of woodchips in accordance with AS/NZS 1301.010s,
• Size classification of woodchips in accordance with AS/NZS 1301.014rp, and,
• Sample preparation in accordance with AS/NZS 1301.013rp.

This accreditation assures the quality of the results provided to our customers that the chip test facility produces. Regular assessments are conducted by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) who assess the Company’s systems to the ISO 17025:2017 standard and determine if all requirements are met. See our certificate here.

Wood Testing

The focus in Burnie and Eden has been on wood chip classification testing for wood chips but the laboratories are capable of testing other wood-based materials including but not limited to biofuels and wood residues. The Burnie laboratory is NATA accredited (Accreditation No. 20450).

Current tests are:

• size classification of wood chips – AS/NZS 1301.014rp:2002
• determination of moisture in wood chips – AS/ NZS 1301.010s:2007

Agriculture

The agricultural laboratories in Mallee Hay and Narrogin have largely focused on hay. However, the tests undertaken also apply to other agricultural products.

Current test include:

• Dry matter
• Crude protein
• Neutral detergent fibre
• Acid detergent fibre
• Metabolisable energy
• Water soluble carbohydrates
• Moisture

While testing has been focused on internal needs to date, Pentarch is actively investigating providing services to external clients.