A Year with CARO – 2022 RECAP

Posted on December 21, 2022

At CARO our vision is to help ‘Make the World Safer and Healthier,’ and we work hard every day in pursuit of that vision.  In 2022 we took significant strides towards that goal through connecting with people at conferences and events, expanding our service offerings, adding accreditations, launching drone coolers (kidding 😉), introducing an innovative online platform, growing CARO’s team of charismatic scientists, and most of all having fun while doing it!

We Found More Charismatic Scientists to Support You

What’s a great lab without great Scientists?!  Throughout 2022 CARO’s four labs surpassed 200 employees, and we continue to add new Charismatic Scientists to our roster across Western Canada.  CARO’s Burnaby lab doubled in size with 24-hour operations, later drop-off options, and 13 new toys (aka instruments) to keep up with our busy clients!  CARO’s environmental lab in Alberta added soil testing to their analytical catalogue thanks to the help of our growing team in Edmonton.   Don’t be surprised as we introduce more new faces and bigger spaces in the new year, and don’t worry – we are committed to ensuring that we will always have great chemistry with our clients, no matter our size!

We Were Spotted Across Canada

In 2022, Team CARO had the travel bug. After 2 years of being stuck on screen, the team attended 52 conferences and events across Canada: From Vancouver to Niagara Falls, from Edmonton to Whitehorse, our charismatic scientists were busy!   Some of our most memorable moments include the GrowUp Conference in Victoria and being nominated for ‘Best Lab’ at the GrowUp Industry Awards in Niagara Falls! We also had a great time at the annual BEST Conference in Whistler, where our team had the chance to catch up with old friends while doing some technical learning in the process – and we can’t forget the iconic video where we were really, really sad to leave. If you haven’t watched it yet or need a chuckle, check it out here.

We Started with the Lab in the Mirror

Not only did we meet new faces at conferences and seminars, but we also worked to improve the CARO experience for all our existing clients.   Each month in 2022 we sent out a survey that allowed users to rate their experience with CARO, and provide feedback.   Based on the results of this survey we made a number of real-time changes to our systems, to better serve our loyal clients:

• Method optimizations to reduce run times on our 4 most frequently requested tests.  This has also allowed us to expand our RUSH testing capacity on many high-demand tests.
• The adaptation of the latest technology to simplify the data review process, allowing our senior analysts to spend more time focusing where their experience is needed the most!
• Expanded laboratory hours and later drop-off times at specific locations, to give you more time in the field.
• New in-house testing capabilities: CARO now offers Tetraethyl Lead and Legionella testing in-house, as well as expanded microbiological offerings, giving you that one-stop-shop experience.

We Added HOW Many Tests?!

We are constantly adding new tests to our repertoire, to help keep our clients ahead of the curve. This year CARO added 8 new test categories to our ISO170125 scope of accreditation with CALA, many of which supported the expansion of our contaminated sites division in Alberta.   If you’re looking for an environmental lab in Alberta that can test your soil and water AND make your day a little more fun, look no further!

We didn’t stop with ISO17025, either.  This year CARO’s Burnaby laboratory successfully met the accreditation requirements of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC Diagnostic Accreditation Program and was granted the internationally recognized DAP ISO15189 accreditation award.   You can learn more about our journey to biomed accreditation through PCR-based COVID testing, here.

We Kept You Ahead of the Curve with CARO’s New CCI

Our biggest achievement of 2022 could arguably be the launch of CARO’s new Client Interface, CCI, in mid-November.   In January we set out to design the most innovative platform the industry has ever seen, with features to make the analytical process more streamlined and intuitive than ever before.   With 24/7 access to your data, as well as live status updates, invoice access, online ordering, and COC submissions, the CCI was designed to give you all the information you need at your fingertips – and it is now LIVE!   With more features to come in 2023, it’s the virtual Big Picture Sidekick that keeps on giving.

If you haven’t signed up yet, now is the perfect opportunity to start 2023 off right! And if you’re quick, you still have until December 23^rd to be entered into a draw to win a $200 Gift Card if you SIGN-UP NOW!

In 2023 – We are Looking Ahead!

We believe CARO got one (or two) steps closer to making ‘The World Safer and Healthier’ in 2022 and a lot of it is because of you, our clients.

From everyone here at Team CARO – Thank You for making 2022 incredible!   We promise to continue to bring energy and innovation in 2023, with more new services and technical features to help you run successful projects again next year.

See you in 2023!