Client Overview

Founded in 1974 in Switzerland, Cotecna started off as a family business and has now grown to become a world-class international player with more than 100 offices in across approximately 50 countries. Cotecna is a leading provider of testing, inspection and certification services (TIC).

Transaction Overview

Cotecna - a Swiss company and one of the world's leading companies in the testing, inspection and certification (TIC) segment - has completed the acquisition of Laboratório Agronômica, based in Rio Grande do Sul and one of the main phytosanitary diagnostic laboratories in the country.

Laboratório Agronômica is specialized in phytosanitary diagnostic analysis, analysis of biological control products for agronomic use and seed testing. The company is accredited by the Ministry of Agriculture and is active in the identification of pests in the national and international transit of agricultural products.

Cotecna has invested in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions as one of the main avenues for its growth. Since 2014 there have been at least twelve M&A transactions worldwide, and now it announces its first operation in Brazil.

"This acquisition represents an important step to increase our portfolio of services in Agri-Science testing in Brazil, and leverage this expertise in our global network of laboratories", explains Sebastien Dannaud, CEO of Cotecna.