Press Release
\nDinard (France), May 5th, 2021<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kersia continues its external growth and acquires Bioarmor <\/strong>to reinforce its position and improve animal welfare<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Pure player in the food safety market, the international group Kersia, whose head office is based in Dinard (Brittany, France), has completed its eighth external growth operation in less than 5 years. Bioarmor, an independent SME specializing in natural solutions for livestock, will strengthen Kersia’s multi-species and multi-product offer and expand its geographical reach.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n With more than 1,800 employees and a presence in 120 countries, Kersia has developed a comprehensive and unique solution offering in the global food and agricultural safety market. Through the acquisition of Bioarmor, the second transaction – after Sopura in December 2020 – completed with the support of its new shareholder IK Investment Partners, the Breton group consolidates its unique portfolio of solutions in the animal feed supplements, hygiene and livestock environment segments.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Bioarmor: a specialist in natural solutions for livestock for 25 years <\/strong><\/p>\n With a dedicated production facility in Plaintel (Brittany) and an integrated Research & Innovation center, Bioarmor develops, tests, manufactures and markets natural solutions for livestock: dietary food supplements based on plant extracts and probiotics; hygiene products based on enzymes for cleaning and disinfecting buildings, equipment and water consumed by animals; environmental solutions for pig, poultry, ruminant and horse farms (treatment of liquid manure and bedding). With a team of 43 employees, Bioarmor has a commercial presence in more than 45 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America and the Middle East, with a turnover of 9 million euros.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A winning combination for breeders<\/strong><\/p>\n This merger is based on a strong potential for synergies identified, both from a strategic and commercial point of view and in the values shared by Kersia and Bioarmor in terms of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and respect for the environment.\u00a0 Both entities have specific know-how in R&I, a strong international presence and efficient industrial tools. Kersia and Bioarmor benefit from strong complementarities in terms of product ranges in the livestock market (ruminants, pigs, poultry). This merger allows Kersia to complete its existing production capacity with specific processes that are different from those available to the Group. Moreover, it is also an opportunity to enrich its range of products to meet the needs of all players in the sector with a complete array of multi-species solutions.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n In addition to these complementarities, this merger will also strengthen the respective positions of the two entities in the global market for livestock solutions and give them access to new export markets, particularly in Asia, the Middle East and South America. The integration of Bioarmor will provide the Group with new commercial and industrial support in order to target ambitious growth in the animal welfare improvement segment.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n A unique positioning as a pure player in food safety <\/strong><\/p>\n Since 2016, Kersia has grown rapidly with a series of 7 successive acquisitions (Antigerm, LCB Food Safety, G3, Kilco, Laboratoires Choisy, Holchem and Sopura) which today allows the Group to continue its conquest of new market segments and offer a complete portfolio of solutions to guarantee the integrity of the entire food chain. In just over 4 years, Kersia has quadrupled in size. The integration of Bioarmor’s expertise reinforces Kersia’s international positioning as a pure player in food safety, committed to improving animal welfare.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n S\u00e9bastien BOSSARD, CEO of Kersia<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n “We are delighted to welcome the Bioarmor team to the Kersia Group. This is a logical move from a strategic and geographical point of view, given the complementary nature of our expertise and the international scope of our activities. This operation also seems natural in view of our DNA as Breton entrepreneurs, the values of social and environmental responsibility that we hold and the prospects for sustainable development that we wish to outline together. It is a new step forward in achieving our mission: “Inventing a food safe world”. I sincerely thank Laurent Rio, CEO of Bioarmor, and his management team for their trust.”<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Laurent RIO, President\/CEO of Bioarmor<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n “Bioarmor has grown at a rate of 25% per year for the past five years. It is now time for the company to accelerate its international development. The marriage between the two entities will position Bioarmor in the best conditions for a wider distribution of its natural and responsible solutions for livestock. Since February, we have included in our statutes a commitment to the sustainable and ethical design of solutions aimed at reducing the use of medication in livestock. With the integration of the company in a Group such as Kersia, our mission is now even more international. I am very proud of Bioarmor’s team of employees with whom I have shared a wonderful adventure and thanks to whom we have met many challenges. It is important for me to entrust the fruit of these efforts to Breton entrepreneurs in whom I have full confidence and who will be able to continue Bioarmor’s mission in keeping with its CSR values.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n About Kersia <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Kersia is a global leader in food safety, providing value-added solutions that prevent animal and human contamination at all stages of the food chain. The group also offers differentiated niche solutions to the human health sector. After the acquisition of Bioarmor, Kersia will operate in more than 120 countries with a workforce of more than 1,850 people and turnover of more than \u20ac385 million.<\/p>\n