Many of us are very familiar with how important it is to have high-quality and specialty services in our region. Seeking technical and specialised support out of town or internationally often equates to high costs and long delays. So it might come as a pleasure to learn that just over on Banks Street near Midway Beach, Linnaeus Laboratory is staffed by local experts who meet all sorts of local scientific and testing needs. And you might be surprised by how many ways they keep us, local products, local customers and our community safe and help us “love local.”
Linnaeus Laboratory (pronounced “lin-NAY-us") is named after Carolus Linnaeus (1707 – 1778), a Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist who is known as the father of modern taxonomy and ecology. Linnaeus Laboratory in Gisborne had its beginnings in the viticultural industry. The laboratory is owned by local wine industry identity, Geoff Thorpe. The research and development arm of Linnaeus has been involved with a number of projects including large scale, industry-funded grapevine health research, collaborating with teams both in NZ and overseas.
Linnaeus, an IANZ accredited lab, provides clients with a broad range of diagnostic testing and research & development services in the areas of plant and soil health, water and food quality, and more. Linnaeus is home to a team of highly trained and very caring professionals. I sat down with three members of this team, Charlotta Muir (Laboratory Manager), Dion Williams (Water Sampling Technician), as well as Phoebe Riddell, from Riversun, to learn more about the Linnaeus story.
Being IANZ (International Accreditation NZ) accredited is an achievement that the Linnaeus team is very proud of. This means Linnaeus meets standards of competence set by the International Organization for Standards (ISO). Clients can trust Linnaeus’s results and know that they hold up to world class standards. And as compliance standards are raised across all kinds of industries (think agriculture, farming, food and skin-care products, and even the waste that industries discard), it’s important that local organisations can trust the testing results.
In order to carry on with work, some businesses must get IANZ-approved testing. Says Charlotta Muir, Laboratory Manager (who describes herself as nerdy), “It is a huge value to our district to have this facility available. It's becoming harder for business as compliance requirements increase over time so it's really good to have something that stands up in Gisborne.”
Elevating local business through relationships, valuing community and being here to talk through results and solutions, are core beliefs at Linnaeus. I am already impressed by a sense of duty of care, loyalty, service and passion about what they stand for. “If we can't help you or provide what you need, we will go to external labs that we have a relationship with,” says Muir. “We'll find out if they offer the testing, how much it will cost and what we need to do in order to send a sample. This takes all the hassle away from the customer. Basically, if we can't do it, we will find someone who can.” The team have a passion for doing right by our community, connecting people and building relationships. “It's very important to us to help business and industry where we can and to help them be good at what they do,” says Charlotta.
Water testing is one of the many services provided by Linnaeus. Addressing water quality issues is often required for consent for various projects to go ahead. But also, it’s a key concern for public health. Private and commercial water users, schools, marae and other public institutions require regular water monitoring which is crucial to protect public safety.
Dion explains to me the rigorous process behind integrity of sampling, which he adds, “using the correct procedure cannot be understated and truth comes from the integrity of samples. When it comes to environmental issues, you don't know the truth until something is (scientifically) tested.” Dion attended GBHS “back in the day” and after leaving school, worked at the Olympic pools. There he developed a passion for science and water quality and has never looked back.
Being independent offers client confidentiality and professional checks and balances with no affiliations to other companies. The team at Linnaeus are a local face with whom clients can discuss samples and results, achievements and plans, and where help is offered along the way. They can bridge gaps between Taumata Arowai (the water services regulator for Aotearoa) and Iwi, schools, individuals, business, industry and local authorities.
Says Charlotta, “We try to make our services available to everyone, particularly rural schools, which are often faced with urgency in getting samples tested in emergencies. This is where our emphasis on relationships comes into play. We are problem solvers, and we help people.”
In addition to testing samples for a wide variety of industries, Linnaeus Laboratory also provides Research & Development services. Says Charlotta, “We have a research and development team with the ability to take on contract work. A lot of businesses can't afford an R&D team of their own, so having the ability to contract Linnaeus to do it can be very beneficial. A business might need full-scale R&D support or just the use of a cabinet and other facilities. Recently a client who is developing skin care products, used work carried out by Linnaeus to go toward certification for her business. Another client needed to use accredited storage for a food item.” Linnaeus can be a safe link in the chain of scientific testing.
They all rave about their co-worker, Dr Eline van Zijll de Jong. Eline joined the team in 2016 with more than 15 years of research experience in applied microbiology and molecular biology. Since joining the team, she has been actively involved in four New Zealand Winegrower projects investigating trunk disease and its management. In her current role as Lead Scientist at Linnaeus, Eline works closely with Riversun Nursery to improve production and quality of grafted grapevines for the wine industry. Eline has valued the opportunity to not only advance but also apply scientific knowledge to benefit growers directly.
Some of their core business is evaluating the maturity and quality of kiwifruit for export readiness. For the last 3 years, this seasonal work with the Zespri maturity contract sees their team grow from 7 to 50-60. They see themselves as a key piece to a strong, resilient community where local industry, like kiwi, citrus, and wine growers, use local expertise at Linnaeus, who in turn, employ local people. It’s a win-win-win!
They also give students the chance to get on a pathway of a career in science. Linnaeus hosts school group tours through the laboratory where the team share their passions for science with young people. And there are career pathways and opportunities for young people, like work experience during the holidays with the kiwifruit programme and the Elisa virus testing programme.
There are also opportunities for second- or third-year uni or post-grad students to find placement at Linnaeus, through Callaghan Innovation, an organisation that provide funding and other support to innovators, scientists, and entrepreneurs. A business alongside a student can apply for project funding.
Charlotta, Dion, and the team at Linnaeus are excited and positive about the future. This small laboratory is led by local needs and in return enables opportunities for others in areas of research and development, career glimmers, or simply in the core business of scientific testing to support local business and industry to have world-class, quality products. The talented team truly care about their community and have an outlook of professional truth-seeking through science.
We want diverse and world-leading industries here, like what we grow from the land and the innovations we create. We hope that you’ll “love local” not just when you buy but when you need scientific testing. The work of Linnaeus is world-class and something that Gizzy locals can be proud of.