GENEVA, Jan. 6, 2021 -- Cotecna is pleased to announce the acquisition of Fitosoil Laboratorios SL, a leading Spanish laboratory in the agriculture and food safety market. Founded and managed by Don Antonio Abellán, Fitosoil employs 70 highly qualified technicians in its laboratory based in Murcia.

Fitosoil provides its clients with a complete range of services from agronomy to chemical testing on a wide range of products, with a focus on fruits and vegetables and fertilizers. Fitosoil holds a leading position in the fertilizer sector, for which they have developed advanced analytical techniques at international level and enjoy one of the largest accreditation scopes in Europe.

The acquisition of Fitosoil, following the ones of NOFA in the Netherlands and NEOTRON in Italy, allows Cotecna to further expand its European laboratory network and expertise in the food safety sector. With more than 5000 employees and a network of over 100 offices and laboratories around the world, Cotecna is a leading provider of Testing, Inspection and Certification services (TIC) in the agriculture and food supply chains.

"This acquisition is part of our strategy to expand our presence in the food testing market and increases our service portfolio in the broader agri-food segment. Fitosoil unique reputation and analytical skills in the fertilizer, agronomy and fruit and vegetable sectors strengthens Cotecnas offering and capabilities to support the trend for more organic and sustainable farming. Fitosoil also reinforces our position in Spain which is a key growth area for the Group," said Sébastien Dannaud, CEO of Cotecna.

Don Antonio Abellán, Managing Director of Fitosoil Laboratorios SL, and his team will continue leading Fitosoil on its new journey within the Cotecna group. "I am pleased to join the Cotecna family. I saw in Cotecna the same spirit and founding principles that have shaped the development of Fitosoil: entrepreneurship, family business approach, technical predominance. The international network of Cotecna will certainly provide growth opportunities for Fitosoil and the complementarities with its current inspection, certification and testing activities are very strong".

about Cotecna
Cotecna is a leading provider of testing, inspection and certification services. We offer solutions to facilitate trade and make supply chains safer and more efficient for our clients. Our trusted network of professionals and certified laboratories provide expertise across five key sectors: government & trade solutions, agriculture, food safety, minerals & metals, and consumer goods & retail. Founded in Switzerland in 1974, Cotecna started off as a family business and has now grown to become a world-class international player with over 5,000 employees in more than 100 offices across approximately 50 countries.