Nelson Labs marks 40 years in Salt Lake City with inside look at how life‑saving medical devices are proven safe

SALT LAKE CITY — Following yesterday’s 40th‑anniversary open‑house celebration at its Salt Lake City headquarters, Nelson Labs, a global leader in microbiological and analytical chemistry testing and advisory services for the medical device and pharmaceutical industries, showcased how medical products are validated for safety before they reach hospitals. Guests received escorted access to select areas of the campus for guided tours of state‑of‑the‑art facilities and timed “innovation stations” that highlighted Nelson Labs’ unique contributions to the industry over the past four decades.

“Forty years ago, Nelson Labs started in Salt Lake City with a simple promise: if a device touches a patient, its safety should be proven beyond doubt,” said Joe Shrawder, President, Nelson Labs. “That purpose still guides us as we help innovators bring therapies to market, validate sterilization and raise the bar for quality worldwide. Our continued investment here, including our new cleanroom expansion, reflects our confidence in Utah’s life‑sciences ecosystem and our responsibility to protect patients everywhere.”

Nelson Labs welcomed over a hundred guests, including Taylorsville Mayor Kristie Overson and representatives from Sen. Mike Lee’s office, as well as customers, partners and community leaders. Nelson President Joe Shrawder, Laboratory Operations Leader Zach Anderson, and President & CEO of BioUtah Kelvyn Cullimore delivered remarks on Nelson’s growth over the past 40 years and the future of the medical device and pharmaceutical industries here in Utah.

As the company marks its 40th year in Salt Lake City, Nelson Labs is underscoring its record of scientific and business achievement. Founded locally in 1985 by Dr. Jerry R. Nelson and Lynda S. Nelson, the company has grown from a single Utah laboratory into a global network serving more than 3,000 customers across 12 facilities in the United States, Mexico, Asia and Europe.

Over the decades, Nelson Labs has expanded specialized capabilities to meet emerging industry needs. The Company established a European Center of Excellence in Leuven, Belgium, broadened its expert advisory services offering through the acquisition of Regulatory Compliance Associates and launched a rapid sterility testing platform designed to help customers accelerate product release while maintaining rigorous quality standards. During the COVID‑19 supply crisis, Nelson Labs was among the laboratories that performed critical performance testing on N95 respirators and ASTM F2100 medical face masks.

“Across four decades, our teams have advanced methods from extractables and leachables to packaging integrity, supported thousands of customers on every continent where we operate and helped strengthen the standards that industry and regulators rely on,” said Joe. “Scaling from one Utah lab to a global network while ensuring science is uncompromised, that’s the accomplishment we’re most proud of and it’s what the next 40 years will build on.”

In addition to yesterday’s celebration, Nelson Labs recently broke ground on a new, state-of-the-art cleanroom expansion at its Salt Lake City campus. The project is designed to significantly increase ISO‑classified cleanroom capacity and meet rising global demand for independent sterility assurance testing.

About Nelson Labs:

Nelson Labs is a global leader in microbiological and analytical chemistry testing and advisory services for the medical device and pharmaceutical industries. We serve over 3,000 customers across 12 facilities in the United States, Mexico, Asia and Europe. With a comprehensive array of over 900 laboratory tests and the expertise of Regulatory Compliance Associates, a recognized leader in life science consulting, we support our customers from initial product development and sterilization validation, through regulatory approval and ongoing product testing for sterility, safety and quality assurance. We are regarded as a best-in-class partner with a strong track record of collaborating with customers to solve complex issues. Safeguarding Global Health® – with every test completed. Learn more: nelsonlabs.com.