For more than 40 years, SGS North America (formerly IBR Laboratories) has been a global leader in filtration testing, supporting manufacturers, OEMs, end users, and consumers in validating the performance, safety, and reliability of air, liquid, and gas filtration systems. Our ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratories offer one of the industry’s broadest scopes—covering air, water, oil, fuel, hydraulic fluids, HVAC, PPE, HEPA/ULPA, automotive, medical, and consumer product filtration.
Why SGS?
SGS provides state of the art filtration analysis for particles as small as 10 nanometers, testing to international standards including ISO, SAE, IEC, ASTM, IEST, and NSF, as well as OEM specific and custom-developed methods.
Our Grass Lake, Michigan, laboratory — long recognized as IBR Laboratories — delivers independent, confidential, rapid turnaround filtration verification across air, water, oil, and fuel applications.
Unmatched Expertise, Grounded In Global Standards Leadership
SGS IBR experts actively participate in international standards bodies including ISO, ASTM, IEC, and SAE, helping shape next generation filtration test protocols. Manufacturers trust SGS data not only for technical validation and regulatory compliance, but also for supporting product claims, patent evaluations, and legal defensibility.
Global Filtration Expertise — Strengthened by SGS Suzhou
SGS’s globally harmonized filtration network is further enhanced by the SGS Suzhou Filtration Performance Laboratory in Jiangsu Province, China. This advanced facility increases SGS’s global coverage and ensures uniform, high precision filtration testing for customers across Asia, Europe, and North America.
The Suzhou lab complements SGS’s established filtration center in Grass Lake, Michigan, ensuring consistent methodologies, defensible performance data, and accelerated development cycles for companies serving both domestic and international markets.
Together, Grass Lake and Suzhou form a globally harmonized filtration testing network, giving manufacturers a unified, internationally reliable pathway to performance verification.
Litigation & Compliance Support (Updated HEPA Focus)
The filtration industry faces increasing legal scrutiny over false or misleading performance claims, especially amid heightened public concern regarding wildfire smoke, airborne pathogens, and overall indoor air quality. Recent lawsuits underscore the necessity of independent, standards-based performance validation.
Comprehensive Filtration Testing Capabilities
- Air Filtration: Compressed air/gas, HVAC, ASHRAE, general ventilation, HEPA/ULPA, room air cleaners
- Liquid Filtration: Water purification (NSF), hydraulic fluids, oil & fuel separation, contaminant retention
- Microbial Filtration: BFE, VFE, pathogen retention, microbial cleanliness
- Component Cleanliness: Automotive, aerospace, hydraulic, and medical systems
- PPE Filtration: Respirators, medical masks, barrier materials
- Consumer Appliances: Vacuum cleaners, air purifiers, and filter-based household devices
All testing is performed under SGS’s ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, with extensive operational ranges and particle size capabilities as detailed in the SGS North America scope.
SGS: Your Global Filtration Partner
With over 100,000 employees and more than 2,500 laboratories and facilities worldwide, SGS provides unmatched global reach and local expertise to help organizations innovate faster, meet regulatory demands, validate performance, and build consumer trust.
Contact SGS North America – Filtration Testing
Grass Lake, Michigan Laboratory (formerly IBR Laboratories)
Phone: 517 522 8453
Email: us.cp.filtration@sgs.com
www.sgs.com/filtration-testing
