Woods End Laboratories
Woods End Laboratories is a Maine-based soil health, compost, and biodegradability testing laboratory operating the proprietary Solvita® brand, serving farmers, agronomists, soil testing labs, compost producers, and enterprise packaging/bioplastic clients with integrated biological, chemical, and physical analysis services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersAugusta, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Woods End Laboratories does
Woods End Laboratories, founded in 1974 by William F. Brinton, Ph.D., is a Maine-based specialty testing laboratory focused on soil health, compost quality, and biodegradability analysis. The company's core technology is the proprietary Solvita® suite of diagnostic tools, which measures biological, chemical, and physical soil properties through standardized tests including CO2-Burst respiration, Solvita Labile Amino-N (SLAN), and Volumetric Aggregate Stability (VAST). Woods End pioneered the integration of biological indicators with conventional nutrient testing, supported by over 40 years of accumulated soil data and a region-specific scoring algorithm that uses SSURGO soil classification and climate zone modeling to deliver contextually relevant benchmarks.
The company operates a dual business model combining fee-for-service laboratory testing with proprietary product sales. Lab services are sold directly to farmers, consulting agronomists, soil testing labs, compost producers, and government research agencies via mail-in sample submissions, with tiered offerings (Premium Soil Health Test at $55, Mini at $30, plus fertility and biodegradability packages). The GLP-certified biodegradability testing line serves enterprise clients including PepsiCo, FritoLay, Kraft Foods, DuPont, DowAgroSciences, and NatureWorks for compostability validation and agrichemical fate studies. Solvita-branded test kits and the in-house-produced IRTH CO2 Respirometer are distributed directly to growers and through a network of 30+ licensed soil labs worldwide.
Woods End was acquired through a joint venture by Deveron Corp. and A&L Canada Laboratories in April 2021, then transitioned to Rock River Laboratory ownership in November 2025. The company holds three key certifications (GLP, STA, NAPT-PAP) and operates from a 13,500 sq ft laboratory in Augusta, Maine, with sample submission processing redirected to A&L Canada's London, Ontario facility as of May 2026. CEO Rebecca Harvey, Ph.D., joined in 2022, leading the company alongside founder Brinton who serves as Chief Science Officer.
Woods End Laboratories firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Woods End Laboratories
- Legal name
- Woods End Laboratories LLC
- Website
- https://woodsend.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Woods End Laboratories is a Maine-based soil health, compost, and biodegradability testing laboratory operating the proprietary Solvita® brand, serving farmers, agronomists, soil testing labs, compost producers, and enterprise packaging/bioplastic clients with integrated biological, chemical, and physical analysis services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Woods End Laboratories industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Laboratory Testing Services
- NAICS
- Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Soil Testing & Nutrient Analysis Services (AFACAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Soil Health & Biological Testing Services (Microbial Activity, Organic Matter, Respiration) (AFACAKAD), Manure, Compost & Organic Amendments Testing Services (AFACAKAJ), Environmental & Regulatory Compliance Testing for Farms (Runoff, Nutrient Management, Wastewater) (AFACAKAN)
Keywords
Where Woods End Laboratories is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Augusta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Woods End Laboratories business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Soil Health Testing Services: Laboratory analysis fees for soil health, soil fertility, and biological testing services including the Solvita Soil Health Suite, Premium, Basic, and Mini test tiers.
- Solvita® Product Sales: Sale of Solvita test kits, IRTH CO2 respirometers, and related consumables to growers, labs, and researchers worldwide.
- Research and Development Contracts: Collaborative research contracts with universities, government agencies (e.g., USDA), and private companies for specialized soil and compost studies.
- Biodegradability and Compostability Testing: GLP-compliant lab services for industrial clients validating biodegradable product claims and assessing environmental fate of materials.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium Soil Health Test |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mini Soil Health Test |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Regular Soil Health Test |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Solvita IRTH CO2 Respirometer |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
Woods End Laboratories product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Woods End Laboratories provides laboratory analytical and advisory services for soil health, compost quality, and biodegradation testing. Its proprietary Solvita brand offers integrated biological, chemical, and physical soil diagnostics (CO2 respiration, amino-N, aggregate stability). The company also manufactures and sells the Solvita IRTH CO2 Respirometer hardware, and provides GLP-compliant compostability and agrichemical biodegradation testing.
Product overview
Woods End Laboratories offers a comprehensive portfolio of soil health, compost, and biodegradability testing services built around the proprietary Solvita® brand. The core Solvita® Soil Health Suite integrates CO2-Burst respiration testing, SLAN amino-nitrogen analysis, and VAST aggregate stability testing into tiered service offerings (Premium, Basic, and Mini). Beyond soil health, the company provides soil fertility testing, compost process characterization, herbicide bioassay (PIRM), and GLP-compliant biodegradability testing for agrichemicals and compostable products. Hardware products include the Solvita IRTH CO2 Respirometer. The company operates as both a testing laboratory and product manufacturer, having recently transitioned (November 2025) to be acquired by Rock River Laboratory, Inc.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Solvita®: A suite of innovative tools used worldwide for measuring soil and compost biology, including soil testing methods for organic N, aggregate stability, and CO2, enabling practical measurement of soil health, compost stability and safety, nutrient dynamics.
- IRTH®
- PIRM
Products and services
- Solvita Soil Health Suite
Quantifiable outcome
- Farms scoring close to their expected regional soil health benchmark in a survey of 1,000 soil tests covering 8 climatic zones and 9 soil orders, indicating most farm soils operate near steady state for their region.
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Woods End Laboratories
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Woods End Laboratories technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Woods End Laboratories partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Rock River Laboratory, Inc.coreRock River Laboratory, Inc. acquired all Deveron agronomic and environmental assets including Woods End Laboratories in November 2025, integrating Woods End into its family-run laboratory network. Rock River brings over 50 years of agricultural experience. The combined operations are led by CEO Zachery Meyer. Woods End's testing methods and Solvita technology remain unchanged, but distribution now reaches a broader audience through Rock River's established network. Customer service contacts remain the same.
- Deveron Corp.coreDeveron Corp., a leading agricultural digital services company and insights provider, jointly acquired Woods End Laboratories with A&L Canada Laboratories in April 2021, creating a turnkey soil health platform for U.S. agricultural markets. Deveron provides soil collection services (in-field and imagery). In November 2025, Deveron's assets were acquired by Rock River Laboratory.
- A&L Canada Laboratories Inc.coreA&L Canada Laboratories, a provider of leading-edge agricultural analyses, jointly acquired Woods End Laboratories with Deveron in April 2021, creating a joint venture. A&L provides full-service agriculture, environmental, food testing, agronomy, biologicals, and research capabilities. As of May 2026, all sample submissions are redirected to A&L Canada's London, ON facility.
- Michigan State University (Dr. Bruno Basso Lab)coreDr. Bruno Basso's lab at Michigan State University is a pioneer of geo-spatial methodologies for discerning spatial and temporal stability zones affecting farm soil productivity. MSU collaborated with Woods End on the USDA CRP project and on a 10-farm Midwest study linking Solvita Nexus soil health tests to satellite yield stability maps. Basso co-authored the Nature Scientific Reports paper on soil carbon stock change correction with Dr. Will Brinton.
- USDA-ARS Soil Lab, Temple, Texas (Dr. Rick Haney)minorWoods End collaborated with Dr. Rick Haney's USDA-ARS soil lab in Temple, Texas to develop the Solvita CO2-burst protocol. Dr. Haney conducted comparisons of soil respiration and nitrogen mineralization using traditional methods. This collaboration represents a unique government-private lab partnership that put soil microbial activity measurement into a practical, cost-effective realm.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Woods End Laboratories competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Eurofins Scientific: Global testing services giant with environmental, agricultural, and biodegradability testing capabilities; competes broadly with Woods End's GLP biodegradability and compostability services while operating across many other industries at much larger scale.
- Intertek Group: Global quality assurance and testing provider offering biodegradability and environmental fate services relevant to Woods End's GLP-certified business, alongside a much broader assurance and certification portfolio.
- Premier Tech: Diversified manufacturer of compost, peat-based substrates, and bio-based products with internal composting expertise; adjacent peer to Woods End's compost testing and STA-certified services as both a potential supplier and customer of compost analytical services.
- SGS SA: One of the world's largest inspection, verification, and testing companies; overlaps with Woods End's biodegradability, compostability, and agricultural testing services as part of a much broader industrial and consumer testing portfolio.
Direct peers
- AgSource Laboratories: Cooperative-affiliated soil, feed, and water testing laboratory serving the Upper Midwest agricultural market; comparable in serving farmers, agronomists, and crop advisors with routine fertility testing at scale.
- Rock River Laboratory: Family-run U.S. agricultural laboratory network that acquired Woods End in November 2025; provides agronomic, manure, and feed/forage testing. Now serves as both parent and overlapping service provider with comparable grower customers across the U.S. Midwest.
- Waypoint Analytical: One of the largest U.S. commercial soil testing laboratory networks, offering high-volume NPK, micronutrient, and increasingly biological soil health analyses. Directly comparable on routine fertility testing where Woods End launched services in August 2024.
- A&L Canada Laboratories: A leading Canadian agricultural testing laboratory and former joint-venture acquirer of Woods End (April 2021); offers a comprehensive menu of soil, plant tissue, compost, and environmental analyses and now hosts Woods End's sample submissions. Direct competitor on routine soil fertility and a partner/distributor for the Solvita platform.
- Brookside Laboratories: U.S. agronomy-focused soil and plant tissue testing laboratory serving growers and consultants; comparable in target customer (agronomists and farmers) and core soil chemistry service mix.
Regional players
- Deveron Corp. Canadian ag-tech company focused on soil sampling, imagery, and digital agronomy services; former joint acquirer of Woods End (April 2021) and a Canadian-distributed soil collection provider. Operates as an enabling partner/channel for in-field sampling that complements Woods End's lab analysis.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Woods End Laboratories social profiles
Digital presenceWoods End Laboratories compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Woods End Laboratories financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Woods End Laboratories leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Woods End Laboratories funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Woods End Laboratories M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Woods End Laboratories
What does Woods End Laboratories do?
Woods End Laboratories provides laboratory analytical and advisory services for soil health, compost quality, and biodegradation testing. Its proprietary Solvita brand offers integrated biological, chemical, and physical soil diagnostics (CO2 respiration, amino-N, aggregate stability). The company also manufactures and sells the Solvita IRTH CO2 Respirometer hardware, and provides GLP-compliant compostability and agrichemical biodegradation testing.
Is Woods End Laboratories a public or private company?
Woods End Laboratories is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Woods End Laboratories founded?
Woods End Laboratories was founded in 1974. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Woods End Laboratories based?
Woods End Laboratories is headquartered in Augusta, United States, in the North America region.
How does Woods End Laboratories make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Soil Health Testing Services are the primary driver. The others are solvita® Product Sales, research and Development Contracts and biodegradability and Compostability Testing.
Who are Woods End Laboratories's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Eurofins Scientific, Intertek Group, Premier Tech and SGS SA. Direct peers are AgSource Laboratories, Rock River Laboratory, Waypoint Analytical, A&L Canada Laboratories and Brookside Laboratories. Deveron Corp. is listed as a regional player.
Does Woods End Laboratories have an API?
No public API is recorded for Woods End Laboratories.
What industry is Woods End Laboratories in?
Woods End Laboratories's product category is Agricultural Laboratory Testing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFACAKAA, Soil Testing & Nutrient Analysis Services, with a secondary code of AFACAKAD, Soil Health & Biological Testing Services (Microbial Activity, Organic Matter, Respiration). Its NAICS code is 541380 and its SIC code is 8734.