About Us
John Young
COLTS Laboratories was founded in 1997 by John Young, a respected engineer and optician. John saw a need for standardized performance testing and confidential test results in the optical industry, so he opened his Clearwater, FL facility and got to work with only 4 employees. Throughout his time in the optical industry, John focused on research and development and engineering. He held multiple patents, lectured for advanced education, published more than 100 articles and papers, and was a member of 16 national and international standards and association committees. John started the business with his daughter, Kimberly Hutton, who is currently president of COLTS Laboratories. Kimberly works daily to continue her father’s legacy in the ophthalmic industry and grow the business beyond their original goals.
Now located in Oldsmar, COLTS Laboratories continues to be one of the most trusted independent testing centers worldwide. Our laboratory has multiple technicians with over 150 years of combined experience in various aspects of the ophthalmic and personal protective equipment industries. We currently offer a wide range of testing in the ophthalmic and personal protective equipment spaces, commonly testing samples such as lenses, cleaning cloths, spectacles, hard hats, goggles, welding helmets, ADFs and more. We pride ourselves on offering high quality testing services backed by extensive industry knowledge and experience.