Acquisitions

AddLife acquires Unicam Sistemas Analíticos, a leading Portuguese distributor of advanced analytical laboratory equipment to universities, research institutions and industrial customers, with annual revenue of approximately EUR 10 million and 20 employees. Unicam offers instruments, consumables, technical support, service and training in chromatography, spectrometry, and microwave technology and is part of AddLife’s Business Area Labtech.

AddLife acquires CoaChrom Diagnostica GmbH, an Austrian niche company specialising in advanced coagulation diagnostics for clinical laboratories and the pharmaceutical industry, with approximately EUR 10 million in sales and 10 employees. CoaChrom will become part of AddLife’s business area, Labtech, and will continue to operate under its own brand in line with AddLife’s decentralised business model. CoaChrom is an Austrian niche company focusing on advanced coagulation diagnostics for clinical laboratories and the pharmaceutical industry.

AddLife acquires BioSpectrum Ltd, a fast‑growing distributor of surgical solutions in the fields of urology, gynaecology and general surgery in the UK. The company will be included within AddLife’s Business Area Medtech. BioSpectrum generates an annual revenue of approximately GBP 6 million and has 16 employees.

AddLife has acquired Opitek International ApS (“Opitek”), a manufacturer specializing in patient positioning. Opitek, a Danish MedTech company renowned for its specialized solutions in safe and efficient patient positioning before and during surgery that address both staff ergonomics and patient safety. The company will become part of Mediplast, a company within AddLife’s Business Area Medtech and has yearly sales of approximately 8 million DKK.

AddLife acquires Pharmacold A/S, a leading Danish specialist in refrigeration technology and service for the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. Pharmacold will become a subsidiary of Holm & Halby, a company within AddLife’s business Area Labtech. Pharmacold delivers advanced, customised solutions for temperature-controlled storage, including installation, service, and support of refrigeration and freezer systems, climate control systems, and mobile low-temperature units. Pharmacold, with a current revenue of EUR 3.4 million, operates primarily in Denmark.

When working with Italy, it is important to know that personal relationships are fundamental. Italians prefer warm communication and often start meetings with informal conversations to establish trust. Decisions can be influenced by emotions and context, not just by data. According to the Lewis Model, Italy is a “multi-active” culture: it is necessary to be flexible, ready to discuss several topics at the same time, and open to negotiation. Meetings may be less structured than in other countries, but this encourages the search for creative solutions and the strengthening of professional relationships.

When we began considering the future of BioCat, I realized that selling the company was about much more than just the numbers. While the financial side is important, what really mattered was finding a partner who would respect our values, support our team, and help us continue building on our strong foundation.

Discussions about an extended collaboration with BergmanLabora began in the fall of 2018. Since then, there have been many cups of coffee and an exchange of thoughts and ideas. Once we agreed that it would be a good idea for the companies to merge, it was presented to AddLife. After that, it went quickly, from presented business idea to completed acquisition in less than six months.