Wyoming Anal. Laboratories, Inc. will celebrate its 20th year of operation in 1997!Successful strategies in surviving for 20 yr and hopefully for another 20 yr will be discussed in terms of facing the exciting and ever-changing opportunities and challenges that are occurring as we approach the 21st century.A number of these opportunities and challenges will be discussed.For example, in order to be successful in the future, the small, independent laboratory will need to be cognizant of changing environmental regulations -- both from the standpoint of attracting business, and also with regard to the impact these regulations (federal, state, and local) will have on the operation of the laboratoryIn addition, the laboratory will have to meet the demands of ever-shortening turnaround times and ever-decreasing detection limits.In other words, the laboratory must, somehow, acquire expensive, up-to-date equipment yet keep operating costs down so that it can be competitive in the marketplace.The bottom line is and will continue to be -- the small, independent laboratory must be able to produce timely, quality results at a low price so that it can compete successfully.