LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
KKR today announced that it has agreed to acquire LGC, the international
life sciences measurement and testing company, from its current owners
Bridgepoint, for an undisclosed amount. KKR will partner with LGC to
provide capital and operational support to facilitate future growth.
LGC provides a range of measurement products and services which underpin
the safety, health and security of the public, including reference
materials and proficiency testing, genomics reagents, instrumentation
and services, and expert sample analysis and interpretation. The company
serves customers across a number of end markets including
pharmaceuticals, agricultural biotechnology, food, environment,
government and academia.
LGC has grown impressively over the past 5 years through the significant
investment support of Bridgepoint which has enabled, for example, the
acquisition of 12 related companies and revenue growth from £130m in
2010 to £222m in 2015. With the support of KKR, management plans to
continue the rapid development of the business, building global
leadership positions within their chosen markets, with a particular
focus on the U.S and Asia.
Founded in 1976, KKR is a leading global investment firm with
approximately $100 billion in assets under management, and currently
owns 94 actively managed companies generating aggregate total revenues
of over $200 billion. KKR has a long history of successfully investing
in healthcare through investments such as Alliance Boots, Adocia, HCA,
Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Panasonic Healthcare and PRA International.
Tim Robinson, CEO, LGC said: 'The last five years have seen LGC grow
internationally, organically as well as through acquisitions, with the
ongoing support of Bridgepoint. We will continue to embrace 'Science for
a Safer World' with KKR as our new shareholder to build on the product,
service, sector and geographic leadership we have today. We have
ongoing, exciting growth opportunities across our entire business that
will strengthen our solutions to our existing customers and help us
expand into new markets and geographies. This is an exciting new phase
in LGC's development and we believe that KKR's network, market knowledge
and support make them an ideal, new partner for our business.'
Dominic Murphy, Head of the Healthcare Industry Team and Head of UK &
Ireland at KKR and Kugan Sathiyanandarajah, Principal in the Healthcare
Industry Team at KKR, said: 'LGC is a proven market leader with a strong
management team. We believe that there is a significant opportunity to
build LGC into a leading global life sciences tools platform,
particularly as it further develops its footprint in fast-growing U.S.
and Asian markets. KKR's global network, as well as its experience and
deep relationships in the life sciences and healthcare sectors, will
help management deliver against its plans for future growth.'
Chris Busby, Partner responsible for Bridgepoint's investment activities
in the UK, said: 'When LGC was privatised in 1996, it had one client in
one geography. Having performed strongly under our five year ownership,
now it has a blue chip global customer base of over 20,000 customers in
150 countries. As the business has grown, LGC has tripled profits,
almost doubled revenues, built a demonstrable IP portfolio and completed
12 acquisitions.'
LGC has its headquarters near London, and employs over 2,200 employees
across 22 countries. Since its privatisation in 1996, the company has
maintained strong links with UK Government as well as developed a
thriving private sector business based on high quality and innovative
science.
The investment in LGC will be made primarily by the KKR European Fund IV.
End
Notes to the editors
About LGC
LGC is an international life sciences measurement and testing company
with leading positions in growing markets. LGC provides a range of
measurement products and services which underpin the safety, health and
security of the public, including reference materials and proficiency
testing, genomics reagents and instrumentation, and expert sample
analysis and interpretation. LGC serves customers across a number of end
markets including Pharmaceuticals, Agricultural Biotechnology, Food,
Environment, Government and Academia.
LGC's headquarters are in London and the company employs over 2,000
people, operating out of 22 countries worldwide. Its operations are
extensively accredited to international quality standards such as
ISO/IEC 17025, GMP, GLP, ISO Guide 34 and ISO/IEC 17043.
With a history dating back to 1842, LGC has been home to the UK
Government Chemist for more than 100 years and is the designated UK
National Measurement Institute for chemical and bio measurement. LGC was
privatised in 1996.
For more information, please visit www.lgcgroup.com
About KKR
KKR is a leading global investment firm that manages investments across
multiple asset classes including private equity, energy, infrastructure,
real estate, credit and hedge funds. KKR aims to generate attractive
investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment
approach, employing world-class people, and driving growth and value
creation at the asset level. KKR invests its own capital alongside its
partners' capital and brings opportunities to others through its capital
markets business. References to KKR's investments may include the
activities of its sponsored funds. For additional information about KKR
& Co. L.P. (NYSE:KKR), please visit KKR's website at www.kkr.com
and on Twitter @KKR_Co.
View source version on businesswire.com : http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151208006334/en/
LGC
Guenaelle Holloway
Phone: +44(0)20 8943 7563
guenaelle.holloway@lgcgroup.com
or
KKR
LondonVictor
Mallet
Finsbury
Phone: +44(0)20 7251 3801
victor.mallet@finsbury.com
or
New
YorkKristi Huller
Phone: +1 212-230-9722
Kristi.Huller@kkr.com
or
BridgepointJames
Murray
Tel: +44 207 034 3555
James.murray@bridgepoint.eu
Source: KKR
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