Eurofins Opens New UK Analytical Testing Facility

On Sep. 29, 2017, Eurofins Scientific, a life sciences company specializing in analytical testing, opened a previously announced pharmaceutical chemistry and microbiology facility in Livingston, Scotland, following a £4-million (US$5-million) investment.

The 5800m²-facility, which will move to Livingston from its current site in Newbridge, Edinburgh, Scotland, will provide greater capacity for the company’s biopharmaceutical product testing business. The site will also facilitate new laboratories for the company’s water testing business, which provide analysis to assess the safety of water in cooling towers, hot and cold water systems, closed systems, and recreational waters such as swimming pools and spas.

The company’s product testing business will look to expand on finished product and raw materials testing. According to the company, employee numbers are anticipated to double to more than 100 in the next few years, with an increased number of technical specialists being added to work on method development and validation.

Additionally, the site will focus on GMP microbiology contract testing, with equipment being added to improve inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry testing. The company will also invest in liquid chromatography equipment, which is expected to increase efficiency by 40%.

The investment follows the company’s acquisition of Exova’s pharmaceutical, food, and water testing business in the UK & Ireland in July 2016, and the subsequent purchase of ILS’s pharmaceutical business in October 2016.

In related news, the company announced an agreement to acquire EAG Laboratories, a scientific services company specializing in analytical and testing services to the agrochemical and pharmaceutical industries, from Odyssey Investment Partners, in September 2017. The transaction is expected to close within a few months following this announcement, subject to customary closing conditions.

Source: Eurofins