What COLTS Laboratories does

COLTS Laboratories is an independent third-party testing laboratory founded in 1997 in Clearwater, Florida (now headquartered in Oldsmar, FL at 702 Stevens Ave) by John Young and his daughter Kimberly Hutton. The company was established as the first independent test lab for the ophthalmic industry and has since expanded its scope to include personal protective equipment (PPE) and military eye protection testing. COLTS is A2LA-accredited to ISO 17025 (Certificate #1612.01), holds Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) Qualified Test Lab status, and maintains active seats on ANSI Z87.1, Z80.1, and Z80.3 standards committees, providing regulatory influence across both ophthalmic and occupational safety domains.

The company's testing services span five core categories: ophthalmic lenses and coatings testing (to ANSI Z80 standards), lens cleaners and cloths testing, eye and face protection testing (to ANSI Z87.1, CSA Z94.3, EN 166), glove testing (to ASTM, ANSI, EN 388), head protection testing (to ANSI Z89.1, CSA Z94.1), and military testing under MIL-PRF-32432 and related specifications for the Army's Authorized Protective Eyewear List (APEL). In addition to fee-for-service testing, COLTS operates proprietary Performance Seal Programs (Blue Light, FDA Compliance, Cleaners/Cloths, Tactical, Rx Lab Safety, Rx Quality) that generate licensing revenue and provide marketing differentiation for participating manufacturers, and sells proprietary testing equipment (BTE, STE, and Tumbler machines) and consumable supplies to in-house laboratories internationally. The company employs 11-50 staff with over 150 years of combined industry experience, including multiple ABO-certified opticians.

COLTS generates revenue through four streams: professional testing services (quote-based enterprise pricing with military re-qualification cycles), performance seal program licensing fees, hardware sales of testing equipment built to order with minimum 90-day warranties, and consumables sales. The company employs a direct sales model with dedicated technical account managers for each service line (ophthalmic, PPE, military, equipment/supplies), supported by trade show presence at Shot Show, Vision Expo East/West, and Vision Council events, plus a self-service Customer Archive Retrieval System (CARS) for existing clients. The customer base includes Zeiss, National Vision, Pyramex, Venture Gear Tactical, Hilco Vision, and multiple optical laboratories. COLTS is privately held by the founding family, with no external institutional capital, and Kimberly Hutton currently serves as President.

Name

COLTS Laboratories

Legal name

COLTS Laboratories

Website

https://colts-laboratories.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

COLTS Laboratories is an ISO 17025-accredited independent third-party testing laboratory founded in 1997, specializing in ophthalmic, PPE, and military eye protection certification to ANSI, ISO, and MIL-SPEC standards. It serves manufacturers and laboratories across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Testing Laboratory Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Conformity Assessment, Testing, Inspection & Certification Cooperation (BPADANAD)

Keywords

• Ophthalmic product testing
• PPE safety testing
• Military eyewear certification
• Independent laboratory testing
• Performance seal certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Oldsmar

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Testing Services Revenue: Third-party independent testing services for ophthalmic products (lenses, coatings, frames), personal protective equipment (eye/face protection, hard hats, gloves), and military equipment (MCEPS). Testing is performed to various national and international standards (ANSI, ISO, CSA, EN, MIL-SPEC).
2. Equipment Sales: Sale of testing equipment including BTE machines, STE machines, Tumbler machines, Standard Control Lenses, and associated media. Each machine is built to order with a minimum 90-day warranty.
3. Supplies Sales: Sale of consumables including Crosshatch Tool Kits, Desiccators, Electrical Tape, Erasers, Grip Liner, Neoprene Gaskets, Potassium Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Phosphate, Stainless Steel Balls for testing purposes.
4. Performance Seal Program Fees: Voluntary certification programs where manufacturers pay for testing and seal usage rights to demonstrate product quality and performance in marketing materials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

COLTS Laboratories provides independent third-party testing services for ophthalmic products (lenses, coatings, frames, lens cleaners and cloths), personal protective equipment (eye and face protection, gloves, hard hats), and military combat eye protection (MCEPS/APEL). The company also runs voluntary COLTS Performance Seal certification programs and sells proprietary testing equipment and consumable supplies to clients with in-house testing operations. All testing is performed to ANSI, ISO, CSA, EN, ASTM, and MIL-SPEC standards under A2LA ISO 17025 accreditation.

Product overview

COLTS Laboratories is a testing laboratory offering independent third-party testing services primarily for the ophthalmic and personal protective equipment industries. The company operates as a single unified service rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offerings consist of five distinct testing services: Ophthalmic Lenses and Coatings Testing (including lenses, coatings, frames, and lens cleaners/cloths), Eye and Face Protection Testing, Glove Testing, Head Protection Testing, and Military Testing (MCEPS/APEL). Supporting these testing services, the company offers COLTS Performance Seal Programs for voluntary product certification, as well as an Equipment Sales division (BTE Machine, STE Machine, Tumbler Machine, Standard Control Lenses, and related supplies like crosshatch tools, desiccators, and test media) for clients with in-house testing needs. Founded in 1997, COLTS is ISO 17025 accredited and provides testing to ANSI, CSA, EN, ISO, ASTM, and MIL standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ophthalmic Lenses and Coatings Testing Independent testing services for ophthalmic lenses, coatings, and frames including abrasion resistance, adhesion properties, Bayer testing, ANSI Z80.1, ANSI Z80.3, anti-reflective coating, hydrophobic properties, photochromic testing, and spectral analysis. For ophthalmic manufacturers and laboratories.
• Lens Cleaners and Cloths Testing Testing services for lens cloths, cleaners, and towelettes including abrasion assessment and testing for potential harm to AR coatings. For lens cleaning product manufacturers.
• Eye and Face Protection Testing Testing services for eye and face protective devices to ANSI Z87.1, CSA Z94.3, EN 166, and ISO standards, including prescription lens mounting qualification. For PPE manufacturers.
• Glove Testing

Quantifiable outcome

• Fast turnaround times for PPE testing
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American National Standards Institute (ANSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOLTS has seats on ANSI Z87.1 and Z80.3 national standards committees. Technical experts participate in standards development meetings, providing early awareness of regulatory changes and industry influence.
• American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA2LA provides ISO 17025 accreditation to COLTS Laboratories (Certificate #1612.01), verifying competence of testing and calibration activities.
• Safety Equipment Institute (SEI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEI designates COLTS as a Qualified Test Lab for safety equipment testing, providing third-party verification of testing capabilities.
• The Vision CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOLTS is a proud member of The Vision Council, the industry association for the optical marketplace. Greg Williams serves as Vice Chairman for the TVC Lens Technical Committee.
• American Board of Opticianry (ABO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple COLTS staff members are ABO certified opticians, with Greg Williams serving as a Level 3 accredited ABO CE lecturer.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SATRA Technology Centre: UK-based independent testing laboratory specializing in PPE, footwear, and consumer product safety testing to European and international standards. Highly comparable as a specialist third-party PPE testing lab with similar standards-based accreditation and revenue model.
• Nelson Laboratories: Independent testing laboratory specializing in medical device and PPE testing including sterilization and biocompatibility. Comparable as a specialist independent testing lab serving regulated product manufacturers, with adjacent testing methodology and accreditation profile.

Broad incumbents

• UL (Underwriters Laboratories): Major safety science organization with extensive PPE testing programs including eye and face protection certification. Comparable as a third-party safety testing provider for PPE manufacturers seeking standards-based certification.
• CSA Group: Canadian standards and testing organization operating its own testing labs for PPE and consumer products. Comparable as a standards-body-affiliated testing lab serving PPE manufacturers, including eye/face protection (CSA Z94.3) which COLTS tests against.
• Bureau Veritas: International TIC company with consumer products and PPE testing services. Comparable as a broad incumbent in third-party testing, though without COLTS' ophthalmic-specific specialization.
• SGS: World's largest testing and certification company with broad industrial and consumer product testing services. Comparable as a third-party lab serving international standards, though vastly larger and not specialized in ophthalmic or eye protection.
• TÜV SÜD: Global testing and certification firm with PPE and consumer product testing capabilities including EN 166 eye protection standards. Comparable as a third-party certification provider to international standards relevant to COLTS' PPE testing business.
• Intertek: Global Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) giant with extensive PPE and consumer product testing capabilities. Comparable as a third-party testing provider serving industrial and consumer safety standards, though much larger and broader than COLTS' ophthalmic/PPE specialty.
• Eurofins Scientific: Global testing services group with consumer product testing and certification capabilities. Comparable as a third-party lab serving international product safety standards, though broader in scope than COLTS' ophthalmic and PPE focus.

Regional players

• Safety Equipment Institute (SEI): US organization that qualifies and certifies PPE manufacturers through independent testing programs. Comparable as a participant in the same US PPE certification ecosystem where COLTS is a Qualified Test Lab for SEI certification programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ColtsLabs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colts-laboratories

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 COLTS Laboratories