Specialists in environmental, agricultural and food testing
We are New Zealand's largest privately owned analytical testing laboratory and have led the way in analytical testing for many years. We have an extensive range of tests, using the latest technology and methods, backed by dedicated Client Services Managers. Hill Laboratories makes a difference for customers by helping them increase their productivity, ensure safety, minimise environmental impact, meet regulatory requirements and support their communities’ well-being.
In response to our customers growing interest in soil health, the laboratory set up the Hot Water Extractable Carbon (HWEC) test a few years ago and it has been gratifying to see the uptake of this test. The HWEC test is a measure of the labile (easily broken down) carbon fraction in the soil organic matter, and includes carbon from soluble carbohydrates, amino acids, root exudates and microbes. Microbial biomass carbon (MBC) is considered a key measure of soil health, but it is a relatively difficult and expensive test to carry out in the laboratory.
With the establishment of Taumata Arowai, Hill Laboratories must comply with the Drinking-water Standards of New Zealand and the Water Services Act 2021. The Act requires us to notify Taumata Arowai when a drinking water test result has exceeded a Maximum Acceptable Value (MAV) as defined in the drinking water standards. A key exception to this requirement is for drinking water samples from stand-alone domestic dwellings - we are not required to report test results from stand-alone domestic dwellings to Taumata Arowai.
New Zealand winegrowers will be buoyed by the positive prediction for the 2022 vintage, following a disappointing 2021 vintage. This prospect of increased exports will no doubt be welcomed by the international market with a growing appetite for this region’s wine. Hill Laboratories is well known by the wine and viticulture industry for our commitment to providing world-class testing services. We've been testing wine for more than a decade and we have a dedicated specialist wine testing lab located in the heart of Marlborough.