When he founded Integrated Technologies Services International in 2004, biotech researcher Richard Somiari was dedicated to building a base of customers inside and outside the U.S. Its first international customer was based in Spain and the firm now has distributors in a dozen countries.
ITSI, based in Johnstown, assists medical researchers by handling back-end laboratory work like analyzing samples. The company prepares sampling kits for scientists who would rather conduct the lab work in their own facilities. It’s also expanding into providing lab equipment and offers a host of services from information technology consulting to database design.
ITSI has 11 full-time employees, but Somiari says that depending on how you count them, you could say the company has 100 people working on its behalf. The list of parties to which he credits his company’s growth includes state trade representatives who have helped ITSI explore overseas markets and St. Francis University’s Center for Global Competitiveness, which has helped ITSI take advantage of global trade missions. The center is part of St. Francis’ Small Business Development Center, which recently chose Somiari for its Small Business Exporter of the Year award.
Somiari, who first came to southwestern PA 11 years ago to help open the Windber Research Institute, says ITSI would be more successful as part of a regional life sciences cluster. Other companies could take advantage of Johnstown’s skilled manufacturing workforce, nearby health care facilities and access to major roads.
“We are the only life sciences company in Johnstown,” Somiari says. “I would be happy if there were many more.”
Source: Richard Somiari, Integrated Technologies Services International
Writer: Rebecca VanderMeulen
