Many people don't know that Appleton has a unique world-class testing and analytical services that provides assistance to large and small companies all over the US and beyond. IPS provides testing of material properties for products like medical devices, consumer products, paper, textiles (especially nonwoven materials), fibers, and a large variety of other goods and materials. I used their services once to get some information about the properties of an over-the-counter medication for one of our clients at Innovationedge. They have some remarkable talent and equipment behind their truly world-class microscopy services.

In the realm of innovation and intellectual property, many people don't seem to recognize how much a patent application can be strengthened with high-quality physical testing. It can help differentiate a product, can help establish ways to detect infringement, and can directly support powerful new claims that otherwise would not have been possible. The folks at IPS have many years of experience in creating unique approaches to highlight patentable novelty with sound testing. In fact, in my role as Program Chair for the paper management side of an upcoming paper industry conference, PaperCon 2010, I've invited Bruce Shafer, Vice President of IPS, to speak about the role that test methods can have in supporting innovation. His speech will be on May 4, 2010 in Atlanta, I hope you'll be there to join us!