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| Paul King (Flow Mobile Surveying) and Robin Bennett (Alpha Tracker) |
We've just recorded an interview with another software company about the launch of our Lab Sample Exchange - and their identity might surprise you!
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| Our collaboration might turn the asbestos lab market upside down! |
If you’ve been in the asbestos game for more than five minutes, you know the routine. You’re out on a site, maybe it's a derelict factory, a busy hospital wing, or a site where someone’s "accidentally" tipped a load of suspicious-looking debris. You spot something. You take a sample. You bag it, tag it, and then... you wait.
You wait for the courier. You wait for the lab. You wait for the results to be typed up. By the time you actually know what you’re dealing with, the project might have stalled, the client is breathing down your neck, and you’ve spent half your life refreshing your inbox.
Well, we’ve been working on something behind the scenes that’s going to change that. Actually, it’s going to do more than change it, it’s going to flip the script entirely.
We are absolutely chuffed to announce a brand-new integration between Alpha Tracker and the ASBpro handheld asbestos analyser from the clever folks at PAS Scientific.
Imagine being able to identify asbestos in seconds, right there on the spot, and having that data flow straight into your Alpha Tracker system before you’ve even left the site. No, it’s not science fiction. It’s here, it’s brilliant, and it’s going to make your life a whole lot easier.
Let’s talk about the hardware first, because the ASBpro is a bit of a marvel.
It’s a handheld device that uses something called NIR (Near Infra-Red) spectroscopy. Now, don’t let the long words put you off, in simple terms, it shines a specific type of light at a material and looks at how that light bounces back. Because every material (including the different types of asbestos) has a unique "fingerprint" in the infrared spectrum, the device can tell you exactly what you’re looking at.
The best bit? It’s tiny. It weighs about 150g, literally the weight of a smartphone, and fits in the palm of your hand. It’s not some clunky piece of kit that requires a trolley and a degree in nuclear physics to operate. You point it, you scan it, and in about ten seconds, you’ve got an answer.
It detects all the usual suspects: Chrysotile, Amosite, Crocidolite, and the rest. It even takes photos and tags them to the result. It’s essentially a lab in your pocket, minus the white coat and the smell of chemicals.
Now, a fancy gadget is great, but if the data just sits on the device, it’s only half the battle. This is where we come in.
We’ve built a direct integration between the ASBpro and Alpha Tracker. When you take a reading with the ASBpro, that data, including the identification result, the spectral data, and the photos, doesn’t just stay on the handheld. It flows directly into your Alpha Tracker system.
If you’re using Tracker Mobile for your surveys, this is a game-changer. You’re already capturing your site data, floor plans, and notes on your tablet. Now, your asbestos screening results can be part of that same digital workflow.
Funnily enough, we often talk about "joining the dots" in environmental compliance, and this is exactly what we’ve done here. We’ve connected the physical world (the material on site) to the digital world (your compliance records) in real-time.
I know what you’re thinking: "Robin, this sounds lovely, but is it actually going to save me money?"
The answer is a resounding yes. Let’s look at a few scenarios where this integration shines:
Imagine a waste transfer station where a skip-load of "mixed construction waste" arrives. It looks suspicious. In the old days, you’d have to quarantine the whole lot and wait days for a lab result. With the ASBpro and Alpha Tracker, you can screen that load in seconds. If it’s hot, you know immediately. If it’s clear, you can get it processed. That’s a massive saving in time and storage costs.
We’ve seen it happen, fires, floods, or structural collapses where you need to know now if the dust and debris contain asbestos. Emergency services and clean-up crews can’t wait three days for a courier. This tech allows for instant decision-making on the ground, keeping people safe when it matters most.
Before the hammers start swinging, a quick scan with the ASBpro can provide an extra layer of safety. It doesn’t replace the full asbestos survey, but it’s a brilliant "sanity check" for contractors to ensure they aren't about to disturb something nasty.
By screening on-site, you can be much more strategic about what you send to the lab. You can prioritise the "maybes" and get the "definites" logged into Alpha Tracker instantly. It streamlines the whole lab sample exchange process.
Now, I need to be clear here, and I’ll keep us honest, this isn’t about replacing UKAS-accredited laboratories.
In the UK and many other regions, the gold standard for legal identification remains polarized light microscopy (PLM) in a controlled lab environment. The ASBpro is an incredibly powerful screening tool. It’s there to give you instant insight, to help you manage risk, and to speed up your workflows.
Think of it like a GP using a quick diagnostic test before sending you for a full hospital scan. It gives you the "what’s what" immediately so you can take action, while the formal paperwork follows through the usual channels.
When you combine the speed of the ASBpro with the robustness of Alpha Tracker’s reporting and compliance modules, you’re getting the best of both worlds: lightning-fast field data and rock-solid, auditable records.
We’re already rolling this out and the feedback has been, well, brilliant. If you’re an existing Alpha Tracker user and you’re interested in adding the ASBpro to your toolkit, give us a shout.
Our support team and sales guys can walk you through how the integration works, how to get the devices set up, and how to make sure the data is landing exactly where you need it in your system.
And if you’re new to Alpha Tracker: firstly, where have you been?: now is a great time to see how our scheduling and mobile apps can transform your consultancy.
We’ve always said that Alpha Tracker is "powered by the cloud," but it’s also powered by the needs of our users. You told us you needed faster results and better field tech, so we went out and found the best hardware partners to make it happen.
The ASBpro integration is just another step in our roadmap to keep Alpha Tracker at the very cutting edge of the industry.
So, if you fancy seeing a demo of the "magic wand" in action, or if you want to know how to connect your current kit, get in touch. We’re always up for a chat (and usually a biscuit, if you’re offering).
Keep safe out there, and let’s keep making the asbestos industry a little bit faster, a little bit safer, and a whole lot smarter.
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| July 31 is the big day for Alpha Tracker Release 41! |
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| Click to watch the Release 41.6 Highlights video on YouTube |
We're just about to wrap up the feature-list for asbestos & water hygiene software Alpha Tracker Release 42. Is there anything you'd like to suggest for us to squeeze in?
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| Ideas-a-plenty for Release 42 |
We're already focusing on:
Welcome to Release 41 of Alpha Tracker with 500+ new features, performance improvements and bug fixes for our wonderful family of asbestos, water hygiene and fire risk users.
Here's a YouTube video to introduce the top 10 features:
In summary, here are the most important changes you'll notice:
plus there is a new Alpha Tracker Mobile hitting the app stores next week.
You can read and download the Release Notes on our website and please do join our upcoming webinar on Wednesday 28 August at noon!
Here's the webinar link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88632075774
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| Join our webinar to learn more |
There’s something very fitting about starting the year on a bright, icy January morning. The light is new, the path ahead is clear, and while the ground may be slippery, progress comes from knowing where you’re going and taking each step with confidence. This photo of Catherine walking into the office captures that feeling perfectly as we step into 2026 at Start Software.
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| Here we go again! Welcome 2026 |
So, with frozen car parks behind us and a full year ahead, here’s what we’re excited about.
Alpha Tracker remains at the heart of what we do, and 2026 is shaping up to be a busy year for new releases.
Alpha Tracker Release 42 and Release 43 are on the roadmap, bringing a steady stream of practical improvements driven directly by customer feedback. As ever, the focus is on reliability, usability and features that genuinely make day-to-day work easier.
We are rolling out a significant upgrade to Cloud Document Maker, delivering faster and more scalable document production for reports, certificates and client deliverables. Less waiting, more getting things done.
Tracker Filer will be replaced by Tracker Agent, our AI-powered "extra pair of hands" that will massively reduce your admin.
We know Alpha Tracker does not exist in isolation, so integration continues to be a major priority. 2025 saw us deliver the Lab Sample Exchange and the connection to the incredible FLS/Solvares VISITOUR optimised scheduler. We have many more integrations planned for 2026.
AI is only useful if it solves real problems, and that is exactly how we are approaching it.
Our Report QC Checker is now available for all customers, helping to catch inconsistencies, omissions and common issues before reports go out of the door. It adds another layer of quality control that supports professional judgement rather than replacing it. |
| Go to asbestosreportqc.start-software.ai |
Great software comes from great people. We are delighted to welcome Bonggo to the Start Software team, strengthening our ability to support customers and continue developing the platform at pace.
We will also be getting out and about more in 2026, sharing what we have learned and learning from others.
This includes presenting at conferences around the world, with highlights already planned such as FAMANZ in Sydney and World Summit AI in Amsterdam. If you are attending either, do come and say hello.
Finally, 2026 marks a major milestone for us. This is our 20th year of trading.
That means 20 years of building software, working closely with customers, adapting to new technology and staying firmly focused on value for money. We will be celebrating properly with staff and customers in the autumn, and we look forward to sharing more details as plans come together.
Thank you, as always, for being part of the Start Software story. Here’s to a productive, innovative and well-supported 2026.