Bridgepoint has agreed to acquire a majority stake in German laboratory testing specialist GBA Group from private equity firm Ardian in a transaction valuing the business at more than €1bn, according to a report by Reuters citing an unnamed person familiar with the deal.
The acquisition marks another significant investment by Bridgepoint in the testing, inspection and certification (TIC) sector, an area that has continued to attract private equity capital as regulatory requirements tighten and demand grows for independent testing and product verification services.
Headquartered in Germany, GBA Group operates around 100 laboratories and facilities across Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region. The company serves more than 60,000 customers across sectors including food, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, medical devices and cosmetics.
The deal builds on Bridgepoint’s long-standing investment strategy in the TIC market. The firm has previously backed businesses including Element Materials Technology, LGC, Fera Science and NMi.
Financial terms of the transaction have not been officially disclosed.
