Campbell Brothers expands into food testing

Australian Campbell Brothers has entered into an agreement to acquire two food testing businesses from UK-based Environmental Scientifics for A$39m ($41.27m).

The acquisitions of Eclipse Scientific and Advanced Micro Services (AMS) are part of a strategy to strengthen the company’s global food and pharmaceutical laboratory services business through its testing services unit ALS.

British Eclipse Scientific offers dairy, water, and pharmaceuticals testing services, has six laboratories in England and its customer base includes manufacturers, food processors and retailers. AMS offers similar services, working from its two laboratories in Ireland.

Campbell Brothers managing director Greg Kilmister said the acquisitions will enable ALS to expand its existing food and pharmaceutical services into new geographies in the UK and Ireland.

"The food testing facilities in the UK and Ireland will allow us to accelerate the development of a global food and pharmaceutical testing business and help build our overall presence in Europe," Kilmister added.

Following the acquisition, Eclipse and AMS will become a part of the newly-formed Life Sciences Division of ALS.

According to Campbell Brothers, the takeover will be accretive to earnings per share in the first year of ownership, and is expected to increase its total staff numbers in Europe to more than 1,000.

ALS offers testing and technical services in the geochemistry, metallurgy, coal, environmental, tribology, food / pharmaceutical, inspection and industrial segments, and it operates 300 laboratories in 55 countries.