A German company that certifies the safety and efficiency of electrical devices has opened a 30,000-square-foot laboratory to test lighting equipment in Alpharetta.

TÜV SÜD now has five testing facilities in the U.S., which contributes about $250 million of the company's $1.6 billion in annual sales.

The move to metro Atlanta is part of the Munich-based firm's effort to expand its reach in the U.S., the home turf of Underwriters Laboratories, a well-known competitor.

The Alpharetta lab has environmentally controlled rooms ...