Why an Internal Lab Matters

By Chris Robbins, VP of Technology

When people think of a lab, they often imagine a wild-haired scientist surrounded by beakers, steam, and chaos. Fun image—but in real life, labs are actually super methodical. They’re clean, controlled environments where every detail—from the humidity to the dust level—is tightly managed to make sure testing is consistent and reliable.

That kind of structure is critical, especially when you’re validating a product or running standardized tests. But if you’re like me—someone who loves solving problems by looking at them from a new angle—that kind of rigidity can also be frustrating. That’s why I believe so strongly in the value of an internal lab.

Speed Isn’t Just Nice to Have—It’s Everything

In R&D, speed changes everything. When my team is developing something new, we can’t afford to wait 4 to 6 weeks to get test results back from a third party. We need to know if something’s working now so we can pivot, refine, and keep moving.

That’s where our in-house lab really shines. We can turn tests around in just a few days—sometimes faster. It lets us experiment, validate, and make decisions in real time. Sure, we still use third-party labs for official verification, but for day-to-day development, nothing beats having the tools in your own hands.

Yes, It’s a Big Investment—But It Pays Off Fast

I won’t sugarcoat it—building an internal lab isn’t cheap. The equipment, the space, the training… it all adds up. But when you start doing the math, it’s a no-brainer. A single external test might cost $2,000–$3,000. So if you’re running tests regularly—and we are—you hit break-even pretty quickly.

On top of that, we save time, reduce downtime, and don’t have to wait on someone else’s schedule. For us, that flexibility is worth every penny.

The Freedom to Think Differently

One of the things I love most about having an internal lab is the freedom to experiment. Traditional labs are designed to follow standards—and that’s great when you’re benchmarking. But when you’re trying to push boundaries, sometimes you need to test outside the lines.

We’ve been able to test real-world variables, prototype custom materials, and run side-by-side comparisons that wouldn’t be possible in a standard lab setting. That ability to iterate fast and try unconventional ideas has directly led to some of our biggest breakthroughs.

Keeping Ourselves Honest

Another underrated benefit? Ongoing quality assurance. Instead of sending samples out once or twice a year, we can check in weekly—or even daily—without the extra cost. That kind of visibility helps us spot issues early, stay consistent, and continuously improve.

It’s not about replacing outside labs, but about having another layer of accountability built into our day-to-day operations. I sleep a lot better knowing we’ve got eyes on quality every step of the way.

It’s Just Plain Fun

I’d be lying if I said part of the appeal wasn’t the cool factor. There’s something deeply satisfying about getting your hands dirty in the lab, running a test, and seeing the results right in front of you. It taps into the part of me that still loves to take things apart just to see how they work.

For a company like ours—where curiosity and innovation are baked into our culture—having an internal lab just makes sense. It’s not about having the fanciest gear. It’s about empowering our team to keep asking better questions and chasing down the answers ourselves.

The Bottom Line

If you’re in a field that values innovation, I can’t recommend building an internal lab enough. It speeds up your R&D cycle, saves money in the long run, and gives you the freedom to approach problems differently.

But more than anything, it creates space for curiosity. And I’ve found that’s where real change happens.

Not always in the successful tests—but in the ones that go sideways and force us to ask: what happened? And how do we make it better?

That’s the kind of work I love. And for me, it often starts in the lab.