LGC Acquires BRC Global Standards

LONDON, Nov. 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

• LGC expands itssupply chain assurance offering,creating a new business unit within its Standards division to focus on this growing market  
• BRC Global Standards' activities are highly complementary to LGC's existing capabilities in reference standards, proficiency testing and sports supplements supply chain assurance  
• BRC Global Standardsbenefits from LGC's global network to develop further in new territories and accelerate its transition into a consumer and brand protection solutions leader

Today, LGC announced that it has completed the acquisition of BRC Global Standards, the world's largest provider of safety and quality Standards programmes for food and non-food manufacture, packaging, storage, distribution and retail based in London. The acquisition marks the next stage in BRC Global Standards' strategic transition from being a Standards owner to a brand and consumer protection organisation, with a range of products and services to help its customers deal with the challenges of producing safe, high quality products for the end consumer on a global basis.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161124/442804-INFO )
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160701/385677LOGO )

BRC Global Standards' written Standards across food safety, packaging, storage & distribution, agents & brokers, consumer products and retail underpin the achievement of consistent quality, safety and operational standards throughout the supply chain, providing protection for the end consumer. Compliance with BRC Global Standards is now often a fundamental requirement of leading retailers, manufacturers and quick service restaurants.

Euan O'Sullivan, Managing Director of LGC's Standards Division, said: "We are delighted to be adding BRC Global Standards to our Standards division. BRC Global Standards is a globally recognised and respected brand and its capabilities are highly complementary to LGC's existing strengths across reference standards, proficiency testing and sports supplements supply chain assurance. We look forward to working with BRC Global Standards' Management to continue internationalising the business while developing new and innovative solutions to meet our customers' needs."

Commenting on the acquisition Mark Proctor, CEO of BRC Global Standards said: "We are delighted to have LGC as the new owner of our business since it has an international presence to support our growth plans and a customer base who will benefit from our services. This investment will also enable us to save more lives by expanding our product offering and cementing our position as a recognised global leader in consumer and brand protection solutions."

The investment will fuel international growth planned by BRC Global Standards over the next five years to add to its existing presence in the UK, India and US; enable investigation of wider consumer and brand protection solutions including health and safety, predictive analytics and ethical trading; and underpin planned investment in IT development to enable real time business intelligence for supply chains. The same successful management team who have grown the company into the thriving international business it is today will lead this transition.

BRC Global Standards has historically been developed as a division of the British Retail Consortium (BRC), which remains a minority shareholder in the business going forwards. Their programme is used by over 24,000 certificated suppliers in 130 countries, with certification issued through a worldwide network of accredited certification bodies. BRC will have a seat on BRC Global Standards' Board to ensure continuity and stability for customers and specifiers.

LGC's Standards division is a leading manufacturer and distributor of reference materials, clinical calibration and verification materials and proficiency testing schemes, supporting customers worldwide with their quality assurance requirements.

Notes to Editors  

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, Diagnostics, Food, Environment, Government and Academia.

LGC's headquarters are in London and the company employs over 2,500 people, operating out of 22 countries worldwide. Its operations are extensively accredited to international quality standards such as ISO/IEC 17025, ISO 13485, ISO 9001, GMP, GLP and ISO Guide 34.

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. http://www.lgcgroup.com  

BRC Global Standards is the world's largest provider of safety and quality standards programmes for food manufacture, packaging, storage, and distribution. The global standards are used by over 24,000 certificated suppliers in over 130 countries with certification issued through a worldwide network of accredited certification bodies. BRC Global Standards guarantee the standardisation of quality, safety and operational criteria and ensure that manufacturers fulfil their legal obligations and provide protection for the end consumer. http://www.brcglobalstandards.com/  

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is the UK's leading retail trade association working with members to tell the story of retail, shape debates and influence issues and opportunities which will help make a positive difference. It represents the full range of retailers, large and small, multiples and independents, food and non-food, online and store based. The BRC has over 90 retail members representing 70 per cent of the UK retail industry. http://brc.org.uk/