Environmental Monitoring & Technologies

What Environmental Monitoring & Technologies does

Environmental Monitoring & Technologies, operating commercially as Sterling Labs, is a privately held environmental testing laboratory founded in 1984 and headquartered in the Chicago metropolitan area (Des Plaines, IL, with a second Chicago location). The company provides accredited analytical testing of environmental samples across water, air, soil, waste, and consumer product matrices, along with specialty services such as PFAS analysis, TO-15 volatile organic compound analysis, industrial hygiene assessments, asbestos testing, and a modified PCB-in-oils method with higher sensitivity than standard industry protocols. It holds DOD, NELAP, ANAB, and AIHA accreditations, positioning it to serve federal-agency programs alongside commercial regulated work.

The company's customer base is horizontal and B2B, spanning engineering firms, environmental consultants, industrial manufacturers, and federal agencies. Long-tenured project managers, named dedicated points of contact, and 24/7 sample processing support are explicit service differentiators cited across customer testimonials, alongside regulatory-grade data integrity and flexible prioritization of samples mid-project. The company self-identifies as "Chicagoland's largest environmental lab" and claims national reach via one-flight connectivity to more than 150 US cities, although physical lab operations remain concentrated in two Illinois sites.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through professional-services testing fees on a quote-based, project-by-project model, with no disclosed pricing or subscription packaging. Distribution is direct: clients drop off or ship samples to one of two lab locations, submit work through a client portal, and receive results directly. The company is founder-led, with Amanda Smith serving as Founder, CEO, and Executive Chairman; there is no evidence of institutional investment, outside shareholders, or acquisition activity in the available source material.

Name

Environmental Monitoring & Technologies

Legal name

Environmental Monitoring & Technologies

Website

https://emt.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Environmental Monitoring & Technologies (Sterling Labs) is a Chicago-based, DOD/NELAP/ANAB/AIHA-accredited environmental testing laboratory providing analytical services for water, air, soil, waste, PFAS, and industrial hygiene to engineering firms, environmental consultants, industrial manufacturers, and federal agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Testing Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Laboratory Testing & Analytical Services (in-house/contract labs; microbiology, metals, organics) (EUANAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Quality Assurance/Quality Control & Accreditation (QA plans, proficiency testing, ISO/IEC 17025) (EUANAJAK)

Keywords

• Environmental testing services
• Industrial hygiene analysis
• PFAS laboratory testing
• Wastewater compliance testing
• Groundwater monitoring services

Headquarters

HQ city

Morton Grove

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Environmental Laboratory Testing Services: Professional laboratory testing services for environmental samples including water, air, soil, waste, and other matrices. Revenue generated through testing fees per sample or project-based pricing.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Sterling Labs operates an accredited environmental testing laboratory that performs analyses of water, air, soil, waste, and other environmental samples for engineering firms, environmental consultants, industrial manufacturers, and federal agencies. Core offerings include environmental laboratory testing (water/air/soil/waste), PFAS and specialty analyses (including TO-15), industrial hygiene, asbestos testing, product testing, and federal/DOD services delivered through two Chicagoland locations.

Product overview

Sterling Labs operates as a single unified environmental testing laboratory offering a comprehensive portfolio of testing services. The core offerings include Environmental Laboratory Testing (water, air, soil, waste analysis), PFAS and Specialty Services (including TO-15 analysis), Industrial Hygiene testing, Asbestos testing, and Product Testing. Federal Services is also offered as part of their service portfolio. These services are delivered through their state-of-the-art technology and current testing methodologies, with nearly 40 years of experience. The company serves engineering firms, environmental consultants, industrial manufacturers, and federal agencies through their two locations in the Chicago metropolitan area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Environmental Laboratory Testing Comprehensive testing and analyses of water, air, soil, waste, and other environmental samples to identify potential hazards and ensure safe conditions for engineering firms, environmental consultants, manufacturers, and federal agencies.
• PFAS and Other Specialty Services Specialized testing services including PFAS analysis and TO-15 volatile organic compound analysis, regularly updated to meet the latest industry standards.
• Industrial Hygiene Testing Testing services to evaluate exposure levels to potential hazards at home, in school, or in the workplace for industrial manufacturers and consultants.
• Asbestos Testing Detailed and precise services to safely handle and prevent asbestos-related diseases, helping clients meet regulatory requirements.
• Product Testing Consumer product testing methods to guarantee quality and safety of products while complying with relevant regulations for manufacturers.
• Federal Services Testing services specifically designed for federal agencies and DOD contracts, leveraging DOD, NELAP, ANAB, and AIHA accreditations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Data reliability, fast turnaround times, and responsive customer service consistently praised across client testimonials

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pace Analytical: One of the largest privately held environmental testing laboratory networks in the US, offering water, soil, air, and waste analyses to engineering, consulting, and industrial clients — directly overlapping Sterling Labs' core service lines and customer base.
• Microbac Laboratories: US-based network of environmental, food, and life sciences testing laboratories serving industrial and consulting clients. Similar mid-size positioning to Sterling Labs with overlapping water, soil, and air analytical services.
• EMSL Analytical: Specialized analytical laboratory focused on industrial hygiene, asbestos, mold, and environmental testing. Highly comparable to Sterling Labs on asbestos, industrial hygiene, and specialty environmental service lines.

Broad incumbents

• Eurofins Environment Testing: Global testing giant operating a wide portfolio of environmental analytical services across air, water, soil, and PFAS. Overlaps with Sterling Labs on virtually every matrix but competes with far broader geographic reach and scale.
• ALS Global: International environmental and life sciences testing services company with US lab operations covering water, soil, air, and contaminant analyses. Comparable to Sterling Labs on service scope but operates at much larger scale and global footprint.
• SGS Environmental Services: Global inspection, verification, and testing company with an environmental services arm offering air, water, soil, and waste testing to industrial and government clients — comparable service portfolio but far larger scale and brand.
• Bureau Veritas: International TIC (testing, inspection, certification) provider with environmental testing services covering air emissions, water, soil, and waste — overlaps directly with Sterling Labs' analytical offerings but as part of a much broader portfolio.
• Eurofins TestAmerica: Eurofins' US environmental testing operation, historically TestAmerica, offering comprehensive water, air, soil, and waste analyses nationwide. Directly comparable service lines to Sterling Labs but operating at national scale under the Eurofins umbrella.

Emerging players

• Apex Companies: Environmental consulting and field services firm with in-house laboratory capabilities for water, soil, and air testing. Competes with Sterling Labs for engineering and consulting clients, particularly where integrated field-plus-lab solutions are preferred.
• TRC Companies: Engineering and environmental consulting firm providing remediation, compliance, and field services with adjacent analytical capabilities. Competes with Sterling Labs for environmental consulting clients that bundle sampling, field services, and lab testing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Environmental Monitoring & Technologies