May 25, 2017 | Funny Bits

Smelly accident at AnalTech

So there's this company in Delaware called AnalTech.

This week a truck plowed into the AnalTech facility, creating a gaping hole in the wall.

When first responders noticed a stink coming out of the hole, they notified the Dept of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, which showed up with a HazMat team to investigate. The site was deemed safe after three hours.

You must be wondering about AnalTech's line of business. Anal probes? Dildos? Douches? None of the above. AnalTech does not actually have anything to do with anuses. It is a manufacturer of thin-layer chromatography plates, which are used to analyse commercial and consumer products.

In 1964, the company paid a marketing firm to come up with a name. Since their business was "analytical technology," the marketers figured why not contract the words to make "AnalTech?"  For some reason nobody thought this was a terrible idea, bound to cause no end of ridicule.

Not surprisingly, the company has considered renaming itself with something that doesn't start with "anal." Perhaps the extra attention caused by the truck ramming will inspire it to do so. Or perhaps the publicity will be a boost to their business!

Odour from AnalTech ramming leads to hazmat team callout [The Register]