Food and environmental testing services company Eurofins Scientific is to acquire Applus Agrofood Testing, an independent food and agro-environmental testing provider in Spain, from Applus Servicios Tecnológicos.
Employing around 160 staff, Applus Agrofood Testing generates revenues of over €10m. Over the last 20 years, Eurofins says that it has developed into a leading food testing provider in Spain, with a high penetration of the largest consumer goods retailers in the domestic market. Applus Agrofood Testing is also a local reference laboratory in agro-environmental testing, with specific competence in pesticides testing. It operates three laboratory sites in Spain with three further satellite facilities in Spain, China and Portugal. In addition, it recently started developing consumer product testing activities in China to effectively service its European retailer customer base.
The acquisition allows Eurofins to expand its footprint and extend its current activities in the Spanish food testing market. Applus Agrofood Testing's strong position within the retail industry in the domestic market provides Eurofins with a solid platform to roll-out its services and capabilities to further increase penetration and market share, the company said. Furthermore, Eurofins believes that Applus Agrofood Testing should benefit from the broad range of competencies within Eurofins, and the transfer of know-how, that should further reinforce its leading position in the domestic market.
"Applus Agrofood Testing is an excellent strategic fit with Eurofins' expanding footprint in Spain, Portugal and China,” said Gilles Martin, Eurofins CEO. “ It reinforces the Group's relationship with the Spanish retail industry and is entirely complementary to our existing activities for food producers in the domestic market. We look forward to strengthening Applus Agrofood Testing's market position by offering the full range of services and capabilities of the Eurofins Group".
