Looking to expand: Envirolab Services Sydney managing director Tania Notaras is hoping to open up business in Perth

With right mix lab is confident of growth

Daily Telegraph Tuesday Oct 28 2008 page 49

Notaras Tania 2008 Oct Telegraph re growth.pdf

Jenny Dillon

At a time when businesses of every shape and hue are battening down the hatches, there is one that — despite having already experienced spectacular growth since it began three years ago — is looking to expand. The global financial Crisis is not going to stop Tania Notaras from pursuing her plans to open a branch of Envirolab Services in Perth.

When Ms Notaras started Envirolab in Sydney in 2005, she had a team of four. Now she has 38 on board. The company offers analytical testing to the environmental sector and tests for things such as asbestos in soil, or lead in paint.

Perth being a long way from Sydney, it is the city that is now offering the most opportunities, Ms Notaras said, “It looks like it’s tough, with high rentals and high wages, but there is lots of work and the indications are that there is a need for another laboratory,” she said.

The one difficulty the company is facing is finding appropriate space to set up operations. “We have a particular look and feel to our operations that we’d like to maintain,” she said. “A lot of labs operate out of buildings that don’t have windows. We want a nice building, with windows and lots of natural light. We’d like something existing because to design and construct would take 18 months.”

Ms Notaras is confident that she will have another branch in 12 to 18 months, and Australia-wide coverage within five to seven years.

And she’s not daunted by what’s happening with the credit crunch, although she is not ignoring it. “I’ve found that having a slow period inspires you to do things smarter and cheaper. It’s important to have opportunities to introduce efficiencies,” she said. “A slow time is a good time to work on other things.” Ms Notaras was working for another company during the economic downturn of the early ‘90s and can recall how difficult things can get. “We are worried, but we’re taking steps, making sure we have enough cash flow, not buying as much stuff, being more cautious. We’re concerned, but it’s not stopping us in our plans,” she said.

http://www.envirolabservices.com.au

Tania is the daughter-in-law of Spiro Notaras (Grafton). She is married to his eldest son John, who is also an owner of Envirolab.